Ted is a puzzling brother.
[We pasted Uncle Ted’s passport photo into the Apple puzzle utility. When you unscrambled the tiles, the sound above would play.]
Ted Puzzle
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Author Archives: jeb
Bravery Has Limits
Danny got a shot today. The whole ordeal was terribly serious, but he didn’t cry a bit as he watched the nurse stick a needle in his arm.
He had a fit, however, during the examination afterward. Didn’t like the idea of stripping down to his underwear.
Killian’s, Snickers, etc.
As Kathy and Chris were driving through middle Georgia, the kids and I went over to Bob and Carol’s for a small birthday get together. Grant bought me a styrofoam cooler and filled it with Killian’s Red. Ted swore he had decided what to get me, and would do so shortly. Carol gave me a great jungle nouveau safari shirt and a straight-as-an-arrow dark red tie. Kathy showed up pretty late, exhausted, but present and accounted for. She gave me a terrific shirt and some excellent shorts. She also brought some toys from Grandpa including a gravity assisted kaleidoscope and this bar that you strike and the sound goes on forever.
The kids both gave me a box of ice cream Snickers. Think I’ll go have one now.
Pre-Birthday Party
Got two birthday cards in the mail today. One was from Jim & Andrea Colvin who have moved into a new 5 bedroom home. Jim got to go back to Berlin to show off his prosthetic leg for 10 days. He says things have changed a lot since he, Ed, Jim L. and myself were there. The wall is gone, of course. At one point behind the Prague, where a mined, barbed wired fence crossed a canal, there had been guards and dogs. He says all of that is gone. Now there’s a Honda dealership.
The other birthday card wasn’t for me. It announced the birth of Nicholas John Daegle on June 20.
Grant has watched the kids while Kathy has been in Ft. Lauderdale. He took them to McDonald’s today. The kids played on the McPlayground, and Danny wanted to show off. He climbed the 7 foot platform and slid down the slide. “Look at me Uncle Grant!” Then he climbed up and slid down the pole. “Look at me Uncle Grant!” Then he climbed back up and stood next to the pole. “Look at me Uncle Grant!” Grant looked and realized too late what he was going to do. Danny just jumped straight out into the air!
Grant was shocked. So was Danny as he hit with both feet, rolled forward onto his two hands, then over onto his shoulder and head. He was o.k., but surprised. Grant gave him a good talking to. I don’t think he will try that again. It’s a bit different than jumping off the side of the pool.
Mom and Dad gave me a pre-birthday party with the kids since they were to be out all day and night on my birthday at the Smith & Howard Six Flags and Braves game outing. We had left over bridge party desserts. I got some great shorts and a green sports shirt that matches my flip-flops.
Kathy reports that Michelle is doing very well after the operation. She should make it back for the last few hours of my birthday.
Dad look at me!
Grant is watching the kids while Kathy is in Florida. He’s impressed with the new Mac.
I took the kids swimming tonight. It’s been fun coming home early enough to get in dinner and a swim before dark. Especially since it has been so hot lately.
Danny surprised me with two tricks. He showed me how he can swim under water with his eyes open. I think the snorkel and mask he has used from Destin encouraged him to take this step.
I guess he decided to imitate Nicole swimming free-style. Next thing I know, he says, “Dad, look at me!” and starts doing a really nice stroke. I wonder if he can teach himself to read.
Stomp the Cans After Dinner
Hi Jeb!
By the time you read this, I suppose that Chris and I will just be crossing the Florida line. Only 6 more hours to go. I’ll call you when I get there.
We will be at the Marriott Marina in Fort Lauderdale. Midnight is our expected time of arrival. The hotel’s phone number is (305) 463-4000.
I bought a lot of snacks and drinks for you guys, no beer. That’s your responsibility. Remember that there is pizza and 2 ears of corn in the refrigerator for you to eat tonight. The menu I’ve planned for you is as follows:
Sloppy Joes: A pound of ground beef is in the freezer. All you have to do is brown the meat and then follow the directions on the Sloppy Joe can. Buns are also in the freezer. Canned corn and pears/fruit cocktail can also go with this meal.
Spaghetti: One ziploc bag of frozen spaghetti sauce (found in the freezer) should be plenty for the 3 of you. All you have to do is cook the noodles. Just be sure not to microwave the sauce in the plastic bag. It’s not healthy.
TV Dinners: The kids get the cartoon character meals, yours is the other one.
And of course, there are leftovers of the noodle-vegetable casserole. If you eat over at your mom’s, maybe you can bring some of this with you.
Please have the kids water the flowers in the front on Wednesday and Friday. The Weeping Willow needs to have a good watering on these days too. The house plants need to be watered on Thursday, but you need to do this.
Don’t forget to take the trash out on Thursday, too. Have Nicole empty all the little trash cans into the kitchen can, and have Danny put a new trash bag into the kitchen can.
Make sure Nicole turns the outside lights off every morning and have Danny stomp the cans after dinner.
Should you need to get a baby-sitter, names are posted on the refrigerator. And call in this order: Meryl Reese, Sara Auer, Emily Bereth and then Summer.
Give the kids an extra kiss from me every night. I will call you first thing Friday morning to let you know about what time to expect me home.
I’m sorry that I won’t be the first one to kiss you on your birthday, but I’ll be thinking of you as soon as I wake up.
I love you.
Kathy
Bottle Rocket Haircut
Yesterday we went up to Mike and Lois’s lake house, following Grandpa and Jennette in their red convertible Firebird. Nicole and Danny road in the back. The top had to come up just before we got there as the storms began that lasted through the afternoon.
The sun broke out in the late afternoon, and people started skiing. Nicole took a tour around the lake on an aquaboard. I swam out to help her get started. She did a good job of hanging on, and laughed as she passed within inches of hitting her father who was treading water off the dock. Nicole said it was totally cool.
Danny enjoyed riding in the boat while his sister got towed. He can’t wait to be as old as his sister. How do you explain that he never will be?
Kathy and I passed on the skiing, but we both got in a swim.
The fireworks were particularly dangerous this year. There were a lot more than last year and a lot more people lighting them. Jeff Hamilton gave me a haircut with a bottle rocket, whizzing it past my ear.
Grandma made it up and down the steep driveway to the cul-de-sac launch pad with greater ease than she did last year.
Between Grandma, Uncle Jack, and Grandpa– Nicole and Danny collected a sizeable wad of dough. They can’t wait to go to Toys ‘R Us.
Ted Age 23
We have a scanner at work.
This picture hung on
our desk throughout
Ted’s hitch in Thailand.
He had it taken for
his passport, and sent
us one of the little
extra one. That’s
his writing
from the
back.
He came back
with a beard, no shoes,
and no tie.
Night Adventures
12:00 AM It’s late at night. Kathy is reading Lord Jim. The weather has been rainy and cool for the past several days, but it started to warm up today. Pretty humid.
Danny came whimpering into our room in the middle of the night. I couldn’t get him to explain what was wrong. He said his nose hurt. He blew his nose and said that was better. I walked him back to his bed. He started crying a little bit later. Kathy went in to check on him. He said his bed was wet. She started to help change him. She then discovered that the poor little guy had thrown up. We spent the next hour trying to take care of him and get him comfortable, but he had to throw up two more times.
It’s hard on the nerves to watch a little kid have the dry heaves.
He was fine for the rest of the night. I heard him telling Nicole all about his middle of the night adventures as they were getting dressed. I went in to talk to him about it and ask how he felt. He was fine and said he was hungry. Then a look of worry crossed his face, and I knew I had only seconds to get him into the bathroom. He made it. That was the last time he threw up. By the end of the day, he seemed back to normal.
I think this vegetarian diet is starting to catch up with us. Danny’s little body is revolting against something as unnatural as an all-vegetable diet. (Unnatural to a little boy, anyway.)
FOPAB got put to bed. We’ve added a new twist with a scanned photo of Bob and Kay. Mom and Dad created a tour d’ force in crossword puzzles, putting together over 80 FOPAB cities.
Net Worth Overstated
Kathy worked today, and I paid bills. Here is our current financial situation:
1991 Accounts Balances 1000 ASSETS 1100 Current Assets 1110 Checking - Wachovia 254.07 1111 Cookie Jar 27.34 1120 Cash 0.00 1130 Savings - Wachovia 2,583.11 1131 CD 5,000.00 1140 JHH Stock Fund 825.41 1141 JH Stock 95 shares 1,706.92 1150 Escrow 948.67 Total Current Assets 11,345.52 1200 Fixed Assets 1210 House 63,368.34 1211 Macintosh Classic 0.00 1212 Mac LC 660.44 1220 Automobiles 1221 Corolla '85 5,700.00 1222 VW Rabbit '79 500.00 1223 VW Fox '87 3,600.00 Total Automobiles 9,800.00 Total Fixed Assets 73,828.78 Total ASSETS 85,174.30 2000 LIABILITIES 2100 Student Loan 5,756.52 2101 Grant Loan 1,052.03 2200 Mortgage 54,610.88 2300 Credit Cards 2310 AT&T MasterCard 116.22 2320 Discover 1817 (stopped) 0.00 2305 Discover 3042 63.16 Total Credit Cards 179.38 Total LIABILITIES 61,598.81 NET WORTH 23,575.49
Our net worth is overstated. The cars are no longer worth what we bought them for. Especially the Rabbit that we don’t even have. And we won’t be able to get that much for the house. Plus we owe a bunch on the LC. And that Escrow may show up under Assets, but it sure isn’t mine. It doesn’t bother me, though. I’m not an accountant.
I can add another $45 up there under assets. Kathy made some good tips. And I can add another $45 for the Cashin Ad Design work we did for Libba Wilson. Hmmm… at this rate we’ll be loaded!
Later we went to the pool and played a while before going to church at IHM. Ran into Ted and Grant whom we sat with. Grant set a bad example whispering to Ted. Thank goodness Danny sat on the opposite end of the pew.