Thomas P.

I havent written since Saturday, so I thought it was time for a short post.

Unfortunately Thomas P, our beloved cat, is very sick lately, and it is really worrying us--even Callum is upset about it. He hasnt eaten for almost three days, and we basically have to "force feed" him by mixing his stinky wet food with warm water. Another thing he has going on is his seemingly loss of bodily functions--he hasnt "peed" in his litter box for three days. Instead, he goes right beside it, on the floor, as if he is "missing" the box or something. He is basically "dead weight," and whenever you pick him up, he just kind of falls right into you. And wherever you put him down, he just sort of falls asleep there. This morning, upon coming back from my run, he greeted me in the kitchen, which was great because he was showing some life. But when I picked him up, I noticed his hind legs and little butt were all wet; what he had done, essentially, is peed himself as he slept in his room---he didnt even attempt to make it to the litter box.

He has an appointment for tomorrow, but we are trying to get him in to the doctor today, since Amanda is off. I'm trying to be hopeful, but he is an old boy, and I am fearing the worst. This makes for a really difficult time to be at school. That's one of the things about teaching; while you are here, there really isnt any "down time" where you can just relax. When you're dealing with difficult stuff in your own life, teaching is one of the worst jobs to have because at any given time, you have at least 3, 10, or 25 people who "need" you. In addition, you really seem to notice the "spoilage" of this generation and the way they have this sense of entitlement about them. In one particular class for example: Students had to read a story over the weekend, and they had a test on it on Monday. With complete unabashedness, kids explained "I'll need to make this test up, since I didnt do the reading over the weekend." Its like they dont understand that this is a TEST that measures if they did the work when it was assigned---not when its convenient for them to do it. What's even more troubling is how the students were APPALLED that they couldnt make up the test; they couldnt believe they were being held accountable for something. Its really upsetting, because this is the generation that is going to run the next AIGs, etc. By the way, I'd love to ramble about the rejection of the 700 billion dollar bailout, and how the Democrats are being unfairly blamed for it by the Republicans--but then I'd just be inviting spineless morons like Todd, anonymous, and the like to start pissing everyone off again.

So, I'll just end this by saying that I hope my little kitty cat is okay. We've been through a lot together, and its going to be really hard when he has to go.....

Whenever that is.

5 amazing years today! I love you Sally Piles!

Papa and "GG" came to town this weekend.

On Friday, I arrived home from school to see that dad and Babs were already at our house, hanging out inside with Amanda and Callum. I said my hellos, changed, and immediately went out to run--now that it is becoming harder and harder for me to find a full hour a day (mostly because of daylight and my schedule) to ride, I have succumbed to running outside, since being outside in SOME capacity is better than being on a bike trainer INSIDE. So, for motivation, I have started training for some 5Ks. Something to do.

We got Big G's for supper, and dad and Barbara are huge fans of their HUMONGOUS sandwiches. Amanda and I opted for the haddock baskets....and they SUCKED. Worse than stale Van De Kamps. (poopie noises).

Callum has been sick actually, and for two nights in a row, he has failed to complete his assigned task of sleeping through the night. He was up three times last night; but what is funny is that he doesnt cry. Rather, he just wakes us up by "talking" and cooing to his mobile friends above his crib. He's up leaning on his hands, eyes fully open, and when we go in to see him, he's all smiles. Weird. Any ideas people? Maybe he's trying to increase Sally's milk supply.

At first, Callum didnt know what to make of his Papa Goldsmith, since he hasn't seen him in a while. But Callum is VERY good at studying faces. I think he'll work for the CIA or something. Below Callum is thinking: "hmmmm....this guy looks like my daddy.....only uglier.....and with weird gray stuff on his face....." HA HA dad!
But for the rest of the morning they were buddies, and Callum and Papa intensely watched "Elmo's World" together. I was in the other room, shooting myself.
And here he is with "GG," who was just SO happy to be with the little snugglebuns known as Callum. I hope Callum enjoys reading as much as GG does. If so, he'll be a smart kid!
We left at around noon, since the rain seemed to have subsided, and made our way to The Apple Farm in Fairfield Center. Today was their open house, and even though the weather was yucky, we still had fun checking out the nostalgic farm store, the cider house, and the grounds in general. But on the way there, we just relaxed in the back of Papa's truck; since I had the pacifier, Callum had to resort to his own thumb.....
Maybe I should use one of those more often; I wouldnt get in as much trouble. Callum fell asleep in the farm store, but he woke RIGHT up when we went into the cider house. He did NOT like the cider house; his eyes grew 4 sizes, the lips pouted up, and the screams ensued---I think it was much too loud for him, and he got scared. No prob. Daddy take you away. We got a gallon of their cider, which I think is the best cider I've ever had. We got apples, pie crust covers, a pumpkin Callum picked out, mums, and Papa even bought Callum a pumpkin hat "knit by a great grannny in Maine," as it was advertised. From the farm, we ran over to Agway, Dad's favorite store, and I got some "Natures Miracle" odor remover, since Mister Thomas P. Cat has been enjoying peeing NOT in his box lately (4 inches FROM his box, even). And dad bought us a Red Oak tree from the nursery to be planted in our front yard (we need some shade). It will be our 5 year anniversary tree! After THAT, Amanda made a pie, I went in my own truck to pick up the tree, and then we went to Asian Cafe for a terrific dinner. Whew. What a day!

Who needs cell phones???

When I was a high school student, we used our MINDS and our intellectual prowess to sustain us through the dismal days of cantankerous teachers dishing out work and chronically boring lectures that rambled on and on and on. We didnt need technology, and we certainly didnt "text" each other, like today's high school kids do all class. Here are some of the ways we used to waste time/entertain ourselves through those "dark days."

1. Tic Tac Toe: Of Course!! This is a lost art. There are actually strategies to win. Did you know that?

2. M.A.S.H.: Do you remember? "Mansion, Apartment, Shack, House." There were some other rules about counting that ultimately determined if you'd be a doctor or an assistant crack whore. But I cant remember how to play it. Can any of you? I just remember it being REALLY popular!

3. Chinese Football: Take out your trapper keeper, tear out a piece of MEAD notebook paper, and fold it up until its a "structurally sound" triangle of folded beauty. Then, connect your thumb tips together to make a human goal post, and practice flicking field goals on the field (which was usually Mr. Varella's lab table).

4. Pencil Battleship: Fold a piece of paper in half. On the top half, you make a bunch of random dots in random locations. Now, your partner needs to fold the paper in half (so he is actually writing on the back side of the paper). Then, HE makes a bunch of dots (and he has to bear down really hard). Done? Unfold the paper. Did he make any of his dots within an inch of yours? If so, he "hit" you, and he gets a point. Kind of like a "Battleship" for kids without the monetary resources.

5. Paper Flower: I could never fold this like Kiesha Wright could--she was a genius at this. Another paper game, where a piece of notebook paper is folded into a three dimensional "flower," and on each "petal" is a word or number or something. Do you remember? This brilliant and clairvoyant paper flower had the ability to predict how many children you would have, and what type financial status you'd achieve!

6. Three dimensional letters: Write your name. Or your friends. I remember the letter "S" was really cool to make (you could do it all with interconnected straight lines).

7. "Ummm" counting: Particularly witih Mrs. Margarite. She had the dubious "talent" of hedging everything she said with about a half a dozen "ums." We'd not listen to an actual thing she said (usually, it was talking about moles or Avagadro's number or something). Rather, we'd just count the number of times she said "umm" in a given class. Remarkable.

8. "Single day is silent day" Everyone knows that science teachers only really teach four classes--not five like "full time" teachers. But they "hide" their fifth class as a "lab," and every other day, they have a "double" class where the kids stay longer so they can measure water, light matches, and set up metal stands. But on the "single" days--they days without a lab--we'd play a game where we absolutely COMMITTED to staying quiet NO MATTER WHAT. No talking whatsoever. The teacher liked this--sometimes. But that meant that when she asked a question, no one would answer. And when she called on us, we wouldnt answer her. Damien Sadberry once paid the ultimate price, and was the inevitable silent day champion: Margarite told him that if he didnt answer the question, he would be sent to the office. He chose the latter. Damien Sadberry: a true high school casualty who "took one of the boys."

9. Secret Word: The class picks a "secret word" (aka Pee Wees playhouse) and when the teacher SAYS that word, we all give that teacher a standing ovation. Every time they say it.

10. Quarter Hockey: Using a quarter and a lab table, we fashioned a mock "air hockey" table and used our fingers to try and flick a quarter into the "goal" we fashioned out of pencils.

11. The Penis Game: Ah yes. Who could forget? This is a game not for the faint of heart. One kid says the word "penis" very softly. The next kid (this is a voluntary game) is charged with saying it louder. The next kid, should he choose to continue playing, says it even LOUDER....and so on. The GOAL, of course, is to be the one to say it the loudest--and NOT get caught by the teacher.

12. Notes: The art of note folding--long before cell phones, we relied on old fashioned WRITTEN notes. With PENS.

13. "If your hand is bigger than your face, then you have cancer": No real explanation needed. But how many people could you get to do it?

14: Are you PT??: A Sophie's choice kind of question: If you say NO, then "you're not potty trained." If you say YES, then "you're a pregnant teenager."

15. Humming: Strength in numbers: In unison, the class would all (keeping their mouths closed of course) hum one continuous long and sustained low note. This drove the teacher CRAZY since a) you couldnt tell who was doing it because everyone's mouth was closed b) they couldnt single out one kid because everyone was involved c) they couldnt "prove" any one student was doing it because mouths were closed and everyone was humming and d) the sound is incredibly annoying

We ruled in high school!!

Some things.....

Not Josiah, of course....but Callum Stuart! This morning, as I unlocked my classroom, went inside, and went back to my desk, I noticed a gift box with a bow laying right on top of my desk. Attached was a card that read how in Korea, there is a tradition known as Baek-Il, where there is a celebration to honor the baby's first 100 days of life, since the first 100 days are the most difficult times. The card goes on: "Today is your Baek Il!! Congratulations and all our best--The Thurstons." Thanks Mike and Mira Su! For his Baek Il, Callum got a cute little bear hat with ears on it. When you think about it, its pretty amazing: Callum is 100 days old!

Speaking of babies.....
Yes indeed Callum, you are going to be a big cousin. For those of you who dont keep up with the Favry blog, I thought I'd let you know that Kristin and Anthony are expecting our first nephew (at least I think its a boy....everyone else thinks its a girl) on April 5th! Congratulations you guys. I've been a dad for 100 days now....but I've never been an uncle! So the whole grandparent process begins again for my mom and dad.....just dont expect this every year Papa and Nannie!!!!

And here is a picture of Ms. Sally Piles and her new Volvo 940 Turbo. I have to say: I dont like cars at all; they dont really do anything for me, and I dont really care what I drive. That being said, I really like this car! I think its pretty sharp looking, and the turbo is fun to play with on the highway (I pretend I am Han Solo on the Millennium Falcon). It will be Amanda's "daily driver" to Augusta, and I will take the Subaru to work. The truck, my dear and beloved old girl, still has LOTS of life left in her, and we are trying to figure out what her role will be. She may go stay over at Lynne and George's for a while, to be the "family truck" if anyone needs to move trash, mulch, mechanic toolboxes, body parts, etc
And it has a Thule bike rack, so I can go riding in faraway places.....


Finally this evening, one change for me this school year is that I have taken an intern for the semester. Her name is Alea, and she is a Colby College senior who will be doing her student teaching with me this fall and winter. I have to say: this makes me feel old. I remember when I was an intern at Noble High School down in Berwick about 9 years ago. During the first week of classes, I found myself standing in a room full of 25 juniors trying to make sense of the September 11th attacks, as we watched the news on TV. It was pretty heavy. So Alea will be taking my freshman college prep class and "making it her own" until January....and she'll also be observing/teaching in my other senior classes. I hope she enjoys her time with me....and finds it valuable!

Welcome Lexi Reynolds!!!

So our friends Eric and Susan Reynolds welcomed their newest addition, Lexi, to the family early last week. Amanda went over to the hospital to see Susan and the baby (I stayed home while Callum slept) and I went over on Thursday after school to meet the beautiful little girl, visit with Susan and Eric, and congratulate Jackson, the big brother! Lexi weighed in at 8.8 pounds (Callum was 8.1 pounds) which is heavier than Callum--but she seems SO SMALL next to our little guy! I guess Callum really has gotten that much bigger. It just feels so natural holding a baby now....and, naturally, Lexi's arrival has Amanda already talking about our next one. But I just wave my hands and tell her to wait until Callum can at least support his own head without our help.....Jeez woman!
Here are Sue and Eric with their little girl. Doesnt Susan look fantastic?? Here's something to make women jealous: Susan went to Thayer Hospital at 9pm, and had Lexi at 10:30. Talk about a fast labor!
I dont know about the rest of the world, but its been cold in Maine (I love it!!). We haven't had a fire yet (out of principal I refuse to have a fire in September when its still summer) so Callum's been sleeping in his little fleece "bag." He looks adorable...especially in his Portland Sea Dogs beanie. Actually, in this picture, he looks absolutely terrified. But I assure you no Callums were hurt in the taking of this photograph.
Here's a better shot at his little "giraffe bag" (it has little giraffes on it). Presently, as Callum sleeps, he is in his new "jungle animals" fleece sleeper. He loves them....and the friction of the fleece keeps him from sliding and shimmying all over his crib....

Hey, am I holding Callum or a miniature Ortiz??
And here's Callum and his grampy, playing on his fun-mat. Callum just loves his rainforest fun mat, and he particularly likes the "Monty Moose" animal that grammy hooked onto the mat last week. Notice the sweater Callum is wearing--Lynne made it for him, and it has wicked cute bunny-rabbit buttons...... After seeing Lynne and George this morning, Amanda, Callum, and I went to the Pelotte's for Liam's first birthday party. Then we came home, gave Callum a bath, put him to sleep, and Amanda went to the store. She is making a spaghetti pie (I love her spaghetti pie) to bring over the Reynolds' tomorrow (our friends and family brought over so much food when Callum was born, and we are paying it forward). Tomorrow Amanda and Callum are joining Michelle, Michelle's sister Melissa, and Melissa's two year old son Emerson to check out this year's Common Ground Fair.

In our next blog, I will put some pictures of Amanda's new car--a Volvo 940 we just got after Jon did bunch of work on it! Stay tuned.

Coming soon to a theater near you!!!

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What are we teaching our children?

I'm an English teacher, not a financial guy, but, as an educator, I find the latest government bailout of a major financial institution both concerning and embarrassing--I have a feeling we've just given the rest of the world (the world that sees America as entitled snobs) more fodder to work with.

Sometimes you have to ask: Is it any wonder that we complain about kids today being spoiled, entitled, and apathetic when it comes to handling their own responsibilities? From airlines being "bailed out" to the latest AIG takeover, we are sending the message that its okay to be reckless, irresponsible, and selfish when it comes to doing whatever we want to GET what we want; someone (the fed, the government, China) will come to the rescue and take care of the mess you've made. Dont get me wrong--its a difficult situation. NOT bailing these companies out would undoubtedly send the national economy into disarray...so the government "seemingly" has the nations best interest at heart. But what about penalties (of any type) for these companies? And I wonder if the CEOs, CFOs, and high level management are feeling the ill effects of their selfish actions as much as investors are....

AIGs latest blunder is a result of something called "credit bond default" insurance, and their failure as a business is no doubt a prime example of America's selfishness and ardent desire for MORE MORE MORE. AIG is probably the largest insurer in the nation, and they probably do it better than anyone. But, recently, they began getting into this business of credit bond default insurance (or something like that) and what it means is this: Banks lend out money to private institutions (and, arguably, institutions who have a "higher" level of having to declare bankruptcy). Feeling "scared" of these institutions defaulting on their loans, banks seek out AIG to insure them against these types of defaults. I read today that this relatively new manner of adding to the already rape-like state of insurance premiums is itself a 70 TRILLION dollar business. But AIG, obviously, had no idea what they were getting into.

I know this might not sound very exciting, but consider this: the business of credit bond default insurance is a business that profits from other people's misfortunes (and actually HOPES for other people's misfortunes), and AIG waited, like a shark sitting under a fishing boat, for private businesses to become caught in their nets. The only problem was, of course, they were sharks with the brain capacity of Periwinkles.....and they had no idea what they were getting into to.

In my English class this week, we are examining the story of Beowulf, and discussing how his death--the death of a valiant epic hero--was absolutely preventable, since it resulted from his extreme HUBRIS. Hubris, of course, is a literary word for "excessive and life-damaging pride." And we see it all over the place today--from people like MC Hammer going bankrupt due to irresponsible money management because they spent millions on things like solid gold toilet seats, to Dennis Kozlowski, the former CEO of Tyco, who, days before it was revealed that he was embezzling millions to buy things like...um...solid gold showers (what is it with solid gold things??), spoke to my sister's graduating class at St. Anselm's college about the importance of integrity and honesty, to the latest classic American blunder of AIG, trying to make MORE MORE MORE by biting off more than they could chew in this world of boring, inconsequential, and devious insurance schemes; can Americans ever be complacent with what they have??

I leave you with two final thought: First of all, is it even shocking that yet another large conglomerate has done this? Why arent we absolutely outraged at the way in which they go to the "Old Country Buffet" of finances, eat and drink all they want, let out a disgusting and smelly burp....and then let someone else pick up the tab. And why should they even be concerned? In the liberal society in which we live, consequences are virtually unheard of. The second question is this: How are we supposed to educate our children (both parentally and in school) on ethics, responsibility, and morals, when society is constantly letting them know they dont need them. So, the next time you get fed up with kids skateboarding at Wal-Mart instead of getting part time jobs, or teens protesting just how difficult school is, or a little girl in the store whining and crying because they can't have BOTH toys they want, ask yourself: Are you surprised?

Season Premieres

Season premiere's are fast approaching, and I find myself excited about a couple of TV shows coming back...maybe it is because of the writer's strike and how last season's TV shows ended so abruptly. I really do believe we are in the "Golden Age" of television; when I was a kid, people always used to say how TV would "rot your brain." However, with the caliber of such well written shows as we have now, I think TV can actually be an educational experience; the shows are watch are SO well written, that I often have trouble (okay, I ALL THE TIME) have trouble following plot lines. The three shows Sally and I will watch are NCIS, THE OFFICE, and THE UNIT. I firmly believe that THE UNIT is the best television show going right now, and I would be hard pressed to find a program more well written. I wish it would get the credit in deserves, and not slapped with a Sunday night at 10 pm stigma this season. Oh well. And THE OFFICE is just brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. Here are some shows I used to get excited about as a kid. What about you??

* DIFFERENT STROKES: (I had a crush on Kimberly). This was a huge show in my childhood, and I remember my mom using it as a "carrot" for me to be good...."if you dont behave, then you dont get to watch Arnold," she used to say

*SILVER SPOONS: Ricky Shroeder, his rich dad, and his dad's hot girlfriend Kate all lived in this mansion where there was a train that ran through the living room (a toy train)

*THE COURTSHIP OF EDDIE'S FATHER: Remember this show? "People let me tell you 'bout my be-e-e-st friend/he's a warm hearted boy, he's my up, my down, my pride and joy." Basically a show about cute little Eddie's father, a widow, trying to get some early 80's tail (the decade, not the age of the women he was after)

*BEVERLY HILLS 90210: If you are between 30-40 and say you didnt watch it, then you're lying. Surprisingly, I found zero girls on the show good looking. To be truthful, I was captivated by the ironic situations and the tantalizing plot lines....and I just couldnt take my eyes off Tori Spelling, whose acting was like a trainwreck personified

*NICKELODEON CLASSICS: Before they "sold out" and started making educationally based, politically correct shows, they had some real winners like "Pinwheel," which seemed to be on from 7AM to 1PM somehow. Also, there was "Today's Special," where Jeffrey, the mannequin, came to life after the store closed, and partied all night with some girl who enjoyed hanging out with mannequins too, Sam Krenshaw, the marionette store security guard, and Muffy, a talking mouse afflicted with a disease that caused her to rhyme everything she said. There was "OUT OF CONTROL" with Dave Coulier and "Dizz," Turkey TV, "You can't do that on television" (what do you think is IN the burgers???), and "Mr. Wizard's World," where an aging professor Emeritus at a local community college invited neighborhood children to come over and see how big his crystal could get.....

SUPERMARKET SWEEP: A "B List" gameshow based around the culture of a grocery store; contestants had to race around like idiots trying to find the cheapest grape soda or antibacterial soap. But the host was a tool with a speech impediment, and he made it fun to watch.

Some shows I NEVER got excited about watching, despite their overwhelming popularity

THE COSBY SHOW-Slow humor. Bill Cosby is hilarious, but I just got too annoyed with Rudy

THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL-AIR-Talk about a double standard? What about if it was a show about a middle class white kid who went to go live with his ghetto "izzaunt" and uncle and tried to "play the part?" Plus, it just wasnt funny. Alphonso Ribiero is like the Matt Cassel of early 90's TV

FRIENDS: Was this supposed to be a comedy?

A visit from Nannie

Along with Auntie Kristin, Uncle Anthony, and Chelsea, of course. They arrived yesterday afternoon and immediately snatched up Callum, whom they had not seen in almost a month. Nannie bought calzones from this Italian restaurant over by Foxboro stadium, and we baked them for dinner--they are the best calzones I've ever had.

This morning, I was up at about 530, and left at about 6 for my workout. After that, I ran over to Hannaford, and then stopped at Gene's Market to pick up a couple of breakfast pizzas--which I think is like a Maine tradition, since I never heard of them in Mass. Anthony and I made our usual Starbucks trip, and then we all went over to the Apple Farm in Fairfield. Below, Nannie juggles her bag of Macs while trying to keep hold of a VERY enthusiastic Callum.
And here is Mommy with a STILL SLEEPING Callum. The Apple Farm is a great little place out in the Fairfield country. They have a working cider press, and make the best cider I've ever had (short of Johnny's in Easton, that is). Also, they have a "downhome" farm store, selling local produce, cheeses, milks, soaps, knitted goods, local teas and coffees, and buttfors. When Papa Goldsmith and Granbabs come up in a couple of weeks, we'll go to the same place again, since it will be their "open house" weekend.
My mom had it in her mind to have a traditional turkey dinner while she was up, and Anthony and I came through--with a little twist. This morning, while doing our Starbucks run, Anthony decided to buy a turkey fryer--everyone always talks about how awesome they are, and I guess we wanted to see if they were right. He got one that plugs in; it holds a 14 pound turkey, and can also be used to steam and boil things like lobster, clams, etc. We set it up in the garage, and let the oil heat up to 400 degrees before meticulously lowering the turkey into the peanut oil. How many morons does it take to lower a turkey into oil???
The result was a beautiful turkey, and, for a while, we wondered if Anthony might leave Kristin for the turkey he cooked. Twon also made his "secret recipe" mashed potatoes. I put together a stuffing accented with sausage and white wine, and we made some biscuits. Finally, we boiled up some corn just picked this morning at the Apple Farm, and it was absolutely delicious. J'ever notice how I never make it into any of these dinner photos?? Maybe someday Amanda can take the picture . . ..
Callum, taking a break from reading the instructions to Nannie's knitting project, CANNOT BELIEVE Auntie KK's story about the latest Metlife gossip.....

Friday Reflection

This kills me....no pun intended......
Just another funny picture for your Friday......
Speaking of STAR WARS........"A New Hope." Favre is going dizzzooownn.......and his little dog Mangini too (wah wah wah . . . .. the Patriots use camaras just like everyone . . . .wah . . . .my QB Pennington turned out to be a fluff piece . . . . .wah wah . . . .I'll take my Napoleonic complex out on the Patriots, and bring bad karma their way . . . .wah wah wah . . . .)
The Office's very own Todd F. Packer......

So we've been in school now for about three weeks and things are going exceptionally well; so far, I seem to have some wonderful classes (its still early) and it is good to be back into a "routine" of some type. One change I've implemented is that of working out in the mornings--by the time I get home in the afternoon, I just couldnt possibly exercise. First of all, I am too tired, and second of all, I want to spend some good quality time with Callum, since he has been starting to go to bed earlier (getting his bath around 5:30 or so). Working out in the morning, I have to say, has been one of the best things I've done in a long time--for my body, mind, and spirit. Usually, by 5:30, I am pedalling my Allez Elite down some beautiful backcountry roads of central Maine, and, it being the early fall, its an especially beautiful time: during these cool mornings, the water of the Kennebec River is warmer than the air temperature, which causes a thick bed of fog (or, as the English teacher in me would say, "effluvium") to rise off the surface of the river. That, coupled with the early morning sun trying to poke its way through the clouds, creates a canvassed sky of reds, oranges, and stark purples. Plus, the cows on the River Road in Benton (this road has some huge dairy farms) are out grazing, and they, polite as can be, always seem to stop what they are doing to look on inquisitively, perhaps trying to figure out, in their little cowbrains, jsut the the heck this idiot human is doing on a bike at 5:30 in the morning. The downside, I guess, is that the farmers are starting to fertilize their hay fields with chicken manure which, if you have never smelled it, should try in earnest to keep it that way--cow manure smells like a Yankee Candle as far as I'm concerned . . . .

On the Callum front: for now, his Grammy watches him for three days a week--she gets to our house at about 6:50 in the morning. I usually make it a point to be home by 3:30 at the latest, and then Lynne goes home. This means, that from 3:30 to 5 (5 is when Amanda gets home), I get to listen to Callum cry for an hour or so, as he is starting to get real fussy for his mommy, and he has a fervent desire to breastfeed, versus taking a bottle, like he does during the day. Ahh . . .such quality time. He is sleeping in his crib though, nightly, although we can't wait for the "mesh" bumper we ordered to arrive in the mail. We dont want to use a normal bumper, since many folks say they are dangerous and can cause suffocation. The mesh one will be great, since then he can breathe through it. And he needs it!!! He is really into saddling his little head RIGHT up against the slats of the crib--no matter how many times we try to move him BACK into the middle, he finds his way to crawl back to the "sweet spot" where his head is up against the nice hard ash wood. This morning (at around 3 or so) he had a little problem: I heard him whimpering in his room, which is very unlike him, since he is such a great sleeper. Part of this stems from the fact that he has "found" his thumb, and sucks on it to soothe himself to sleep. However, this morning, upon stretching out, he got his little pork-chop arm stuck in between the slats, or bars, of the crib . . .and didnt have the fine motor skills to remove it. He wasnt "stuck," of course, but he just couldnt finagle his arm out. This meant he couldnt find his thumb...but daddy took care of everything and he went back to sleep. He is changing so much every day!

This afternoon we are looking forward to the arrival of Nannie, Auntie Kristin, Uncle Anthony, and, of course, cousin Chelsea! More to come on this . . .

Meanderings 39

I just love writing I guess. I am glad you are all fans of the blog. I hope you keep reading--Jared

1. What’s up with all these half torn up tires we see on the sides of the highway all the time? How many people are driving tireless? I don’t think I’ve ever heard of someone’s tire falling off while they were driving, yet every time I get on 95 north or south, I see these whole tires, which look they’ve been put into a food processor for thirteen or fourteen seconds, lying on the side of the highway shoulder. And I bet every one of them has their own story….

2. The human race has capitalized on the weather when it comes to sports and recreation, virtually creating a sport to correspond to every single weather event. In the sun, of course, you’ve got your swimming, running, baseball, and a million other outdoor events. In the snow, we’ve got skiing, snowmobiling, sledding, etc. And with the wind, we have sailing, hang gliding, and wind surfing. But no one has ever invented anything EXCLUSIVELY in the rain. Poor rain. You never hear anyone saying “jeez, I hope we get a thunderstorm soon, cuz I want to go up north with my galoshbike this weekend” or anything like that. No one looks forward to rain for any recreational purpose, and it’s the only weather NOT to offer anything.

3. AIM is the bastard red headed stepchild of the toothpaste world, constantly overshadowed by Crest, Colgate, Rembrant, etc. Does anyone ever use AIM anymore? They should; its beautiful…what with all its multi colored stripes of red, green, and blue. Lets see Crest do that.

4. Someday, someone smart from MIT will invent a device that looks into the future. It WILL happen. And when it does, it will INSTANTLY make the careers of meteorologists, stockbrokers, and these talking heads on news stations obsolete. Kaput. We don’t need them anymore. The same goes for a ton of other jobs, but its late and I want to go watch the X Files on Netflix—I don’t have time to think about them. You can do that.

5. And what’s this cute little trend we have going lately that sort of makes it expected that when famous people have their babies, they also write a children’s book to go along with it? Madonna is just the latest “crossover artist” to produce this crap, but I could name a lot more. Why does it seem to go hand-in-hand that “celebrities,” once they have kids, feel the need to a) tell everyone what a great parent they are in a “how to” parenting book or b) showcase their clout by having an artist make cute pictures to go along with their rote and cliché storyline, which usually has no exposition, rising action, or climax.

6. There’s a conspiracy against kids on Halloween, and its been going on for years: kids think the night is all about them, their costume, and their candy. But its not. As a last ditch effort to assert their dominance, moms all across New England bring out “the coat.” This is when moms make kids wear coats over their costumes “because its cold out” they say. ARRGGG…..foiled again by the moms who, since I live with one now, ALWAYS have a hidden agenda. Somehow.

7. The guy (or gal) who holds the "stop" or "slow" sign when one lane is closed during a construction project is in possession of arguably the most powerful minimum wage job in the universe. Although they only get $5.15 per hour, they have the ability to make or break someone's whole morning--if they are late for work, have an appointment, etc. Its like minimum wage world's one and only “trump card” to really stick it to the man, and assert dominance over the “high brow” doctors, lawyers, and realtors who drive really expensive cars. Its as if they are declaring, symbolically, "5.15 per hour or not, I am the BOSS of your ass for the next 3 to 4 minutes."

8. Back in the 80’s, we had a whole horde of animated advertising “spokescharacters” who promoted a certain product; it seemed to be the trend back then to have a cartoon character do your advertising for you. We had the Keebler Elves, Superman (for cocoa), The Hamburger Helper creepy glove guy, Charlie Tuna, Kool-Aid man, the Green Giant, Aunt Jemima, and all of the McDonalds characters. But they’ve all since died, apparently, and the only one who has survived is that Vlassic Pickle bird—is he a stork or an albatross or something? Whatever he is, he is old, wears spectacles and a blue police officer-type hat, and absolutely loves eating pickles with little girls.

Oh to be a stay-at-home mom

Hi. Amanda here. I don't think I need to write that every time, but Jared requested that I did. I think he likes it for some reason. He says it's 'my thing'. Anyway, keep the votes for Jared continuing the blog coming in. We may be making some headway!

My first day back to work yesterday was difficult, but it was okay. The ladies I work with were so helpful to me and they were very glad to have me back. It helps that I'm returning to a place that is full of nice people. It also helps that my mom is watching Callum because I could call as often as I wanted, and she actually called me a couple of times too. Once was to let me talk to Callum, which made me cry. He has been very vocal lately - I love all the sounds he is making! And thank you to everyone who called and emailed me during the day to check in. You guys made the day go by faster!

I had today off and I am also at home tomorrow, then it's back to work Thursday and Friday. Callum and I had a GREAT day today. Here are some of the highlights:

Callum loves his fun mat!

He also loves his foot rattles. I think he gets confused though. He spends most of his time just looking at them. Once in a while he'll kick his foot and make the rattling sound, but then he just stares at his feet like he doesn't really know what's going on.

Here he is flexing his muscles. He takes after his daddy.

And this is the most impressive. He is getting really good at lifting his head while he's on his tummy. Just look at that face! Isn't he a handsome boy?

A New Era in Blogging...

Hi. Amanda here. From now on I will be writing this blog. Jared has decided that too many bad things have come from some of his blogs and he has decided to discontinue writing. I can't promise that I will write as often as Jared did, but I will try my best to keep it updated with pictures and stories. Here are just some of my thoughts as to why I'm doing this:

1. I think the blog has been a great way for family and friends to reconnect and stay connected. And I also enjoy reading other people's blogs - Random Digressions, Kranthony, Melathan, Keithonna and Chrishelle :)

2. I enjoy sharing pictures of my family and I enjoy hearing from the different people that comment.

3. I am disgusted with some of the comments that have been made on this blog previously. I have no issue with people disagreeing with each other (on politics, etc...) but when names and derogatory comments start flying, that's when I believe it's gotten out of hand. I can't BELIEVE some of the names and terms that were used in the comments to the previous post that Jared & I decided to delete. I bring this up because I would ask that people please refrain from hurting each other on MY blog.

To that end, Callum is sleeping and I'm going to spend some time with Jared and watch some crap TV. I return to work tomorrow and I am NOT looking forward to it. Thankfully, I am only working 3 days a week for the next 5 weeks and after that I'll be working full time but one day from home. I just feel like I'm going to miss so much with Callum, but I am glad that Grammie is going to be able to take care of him while Jared and I are at work. It makes me feel A LOT better. Next weekend we are going to have a visit from Nannie, Auntie KK and Uncle Twon, and in a few weeks we'll have a visit from Papa and GG! Lots to look forward to...

Thank you and goodnight . . . .

The Lawn Lady

Ten little toes . . .and one little bum . . .
Is Thomas finall warming up to Callum??? Signs point to yes . . .Also, check out the socks!
BFF
We have the most beautiful baby boy in the world. He now soothes himself to sleep by sucking on his thumb. Adorable.

In English class, during the short story unit I teach, we often focus on the idea of "authority," and how it can, in many ways, "plague" our youth. Its fun; we check out John Updike's "A&P," which is a story about a non-hero who quits his job in front of his pompous boss just to impress girls who end up not giving a crap about him anyway. We read Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery," where, for hundreds of years, the elders in a community impose this "lottery" on everyone--the "winner" gets stoned to death by the others. And we read an Irish story called "A Masculine Protest," which zeroes in on a boy named Dennis, who, fed up with the authoritative layabouts his parents exercise on him, runs away, only to find that being on your own really sucks. When you are young, authority sucks. That's just it. I guess its sort of a rite of passage, in a way; I mean, it wouldnt be "growing up in America" unless we had grownups to complain about, hate, or swear a vendetta upon. Am I right?

My thoughts turned to this idea after I got a funny message from my friend Johnny Crockett; both of us spent part of our childhood living in "Rolling Pines Estates," a condo complex in Easton. It was loaded with kids all our age--and, I have to say, there were some real derelicts. Even when I didnt live in Rolling Pines (and especially when I did), I'd often ride my bike over to the sprawling yards on fall afternoons for a daily game of touch football. This, like so many other testosterone driven adolescent games of touch football, would ultimately turn deadly, and Gino McLean, who was more often than not suspended from school, would tell Sonny Caliendo just how good his mom was last night, and then all hell would break loose.

It was around this time that the "lawn lady" usually showed up.

I still dont know her name, and, in 5 or 6 years of being associated with her, I have never seen her wear "not" the same outfit. Everything in her life seemed navy blue: navy blue dickies pants, pulled up high to reveal a diaper-like hindparts region, navy blue knit polo shirt, with (more often than not) a frumpy looking collar, often flipped up to protect against sunburn. She interrupted our "Lord of the Flies" football game by pulling up in her navy blue GMC pickup, and when she got out, we knew our fun had just begun. Poor lady.

She and her husband both took care of the landscaping at Rolling Pines, and they did it with such aplomb that the lawn somehow became their "baby." (They did, in fact, have children . . .as was the rumor . . .and the rumor was also that they were daughters. Who were hot). They were also from Ireland, and the lawn lady spoke with such a brogue as to only give the Rolling Pines posse more ammo with which to assail her. Our problem with her was her dual-nature, which I guess is a problem with most adults; they have a hard time being their true selves. Around my parents (and all the other parents) she was kind, and spoke with the gentle Irish demeanor of an oatmeal stirring grandmother. But if she caught any of us kids playing on her meticulously manicured lawns, then there was hell to pay. She used words like "bloody" and "wanker," as I remember, and she spared no punches making fun of what she called "wiggerish" clothes or "girly" haircuts. The Rolling Pines kids fired back with comments like "you're just a fat lawn bitch," or "why dont you get a real job." Some kids, as I remember, made up rumors that the lawn lady's children died in a tragic accident, and they had no problem extorting this fact in front of her. (I should point on, for "Nannie's" sake, that I never took part in these battles. Not only had I nothing to work with --I was fat with zits and buck teeth--but also I was morbidly afraid of authority. I merely watched). She would yell at us for being sloppy, careless kids, ignorant of all her Irish horticulturalship. We lambasted her for being so mean, when all we were doing was trying to play some ball after school. I think, one time, briefly, Gino McLean fought her.

Adults always win these battles, inevitably, even if it takes a matter of years for them to do so. Ultimately, selfish and bratty kids grow up, have epiphanies, and realize the misadventures of their youth were in so many ways misguided, useless, and cold bloodedly mean. Its the way of Sammy in "A&P." He makes his stand, he speaks his voice, and he quits his job--all for naught. He ends up, at the end of the piece, jobless and girless. Instantly, he realizes his foolhardy and impulsive precocious behavior, and he knows he's made a mistake. The last line of the story reverberates with the reader when he says "I realized, at the point, just how difficult life was going to be from here on out."

John, in his visit back from Nevada last week, informed me that he did some "reconnaissance work" over at Rolling Pines, a place we've all long abandoned, and saw none other than the lawn lady, donning her navy blues, doing what she seemingly loves to do--work the land and make it beautiful. Its a noble profession, and now, as an adult and homeowner, I understand the value of being proud of your work, and wanting to keep little pukes off it (although we were just having a good time). I wonder what life is like for her now. As a teacher, I can tell you that kids are much ruder and unabashed when it comes to authority than they were when I was a kid. I wonder why she's still at it, and I wonder if she ever remembers us--the little punks of Rolling Pines

An Acadian Quickie . . .

As I wrote in my last blog, the Goldsmiths joined Lynne, George, Grandpop, Jon, and Mel for an overnight up on Mt Desert Island. Amanda and I truly rank the area as our favorite place on earth, and this was Callum's first visit (out of the womb, that is). We hope he loves it as much as we do. Even though we didnt have that much time (all the time in the world isnt enough time in Acadia) we still managed to squeeze a few neat items in. On Sunday morning, we met at the Belfast McDonalds and caravaned up to the island. We checked in to the cabin we rented, dropped some stuff off on the porch, and meandered over to the Jordan Pond House, where Lynne and Amanda were able to live vicariously through all the British "high tea" paraphernalia. We made reservations, as it was MOBBED (but understandably so, with such a beautiful place on a holiday weekend). The Jordan Pond House is an inn and a restaurant situated right on beautiful Jordan Pond. People are attracted to its sprawling and lush green knoll that overlooks the pond and some of the Acadia mountains. "Afternoon tea" is a favorite on the menu (and what we got) where they seat you in rustic tables and serve you "tea (or coffee, chai, lemonade, etc)and popovers. Hey, I have a question: How bright is Callum's future???

Answer: His future is so bright, he has to wear sunglasses!

Below, Amanda readies Callum for a walk along the Carriage Roads, while Mel gets ready to do some Ashtanga Yoga. Blow up the picture to notice, in the background, the beautiful view of the pond and then Bubble Mountain. There are actually "two" bubbles (how appropriate!), but the trees are blocking the one on the left. The Carriage Roads were built by the Rockefeller family in the early 1900's (I think it was then) for the general purpose of enjoying equestrian activities throughout the park. Today, the same rings true, but you'll also find walkers, runners, cyclists, and nerds on segues.
Oh, and here we are (minus me, of course, since I am taking the photo) enjoying our tea and popovers--along with everyone else from Mass. Amanda and I used to talk about working at the Jordan Pond House for the summer, since, if you are hired, you get to live in the "dorm" for the summer while you work. Anyone want to watch Callum next summer???
Today's hilight was a trip to the Atlantic Brewing Company, where Callum took his SECOND brewery tour! It was awesome; we did a pretty comprehensive tasting afterwards, and even AMANDA enjoyed the beer--so much so that she BOUGHT SOME . . .to DRINK. And she got a shirt. I bought a pint glass to add to my collection. They make some pretty interesting beer, our favorites being the Scottish Ale (brewed with peat and heather . . .not the people, the flora) Bar Harbor Blueberry Ale, and Island Ginger Ale, which has a wonderful ginger flavor, and would steam up some awesome . . . well . . .steamers. On site, of course, is "Mainely Meat BBQ." And, while I abhor the usage of "Mainely" to describe things in Maine, the quality of the food far outweighs this faux pax. Fantastic BBQ, all made in a 12 foot smoker. I really like this picture of grandpop and I together. We were really happy that he came with us, and I think he had a good time (especially when he got to make me a vodka and tonic . . .or 3) last night.
And this picture is beautiful to me . . .the loving smile of a beautiful mom (which only Callum can see right now), while Callum carefully studies his mommy's face AND eats his hand. Callum was SOOOO good on this trip. We just love him!!!!!