We Saw the Pope and HE Didn't Wave At Us Either

Ok! We are back from our European trip and are almost fully recovered, have Chase in our possession and are waiting for our girl Hannah to get home on Monday and tell us about her adventures in Hungary. Got home just in time to give our grass emergency attention. Tomball has a water ration on right now, it has been more that 100 degrees in Tomball the last couple weeks and we are praying for rain. While in Europe, the temperature wherever we were never reached higher that 73...I know, I know....

We flew into Rome first, from Newark. Kani arranged this entire trip as I sat back lazily, and she did an excellent job. We stayed at a B&B near to the Asian district and had access to Metro and great restaurants, our neighboring guests were German, Russian, and Danish, and we made quick friends. We stayed three nights in Rome and got a whirlwind tour, although based on brother-in-law Kerry's assessment, not enough time to see any of Renaissance Rome, etc. So we have agreed to go back with Kerry & Maria in tow as our tour guides, asap!!

Next stop was Budapest, Hungary. Kani did a great job booking for us and got us the West End Hilton, a rare chance for us to stay in a 5-star hotel, and we loved it. The W.E. Hilton is attached to a great shopping mall in a cool trendy part of Budapest, and also conveniently near to the Metro, so we had the best of everything. We took Hannah to Castle Hill, the Chain Bridge, govt buildings, saw a cute wedding take place with pigeons released, went to Market Square, and saw 'Carmen' at the Budapest Opera House!! Great fun, and there is still more to see of Budapest in the future, such a great city with so much history, etc. We stayed 3 nights before hooking Hannah up with her mission group, on their way to Mischcoltz to work with an orphanage...

Then Kani and I continued on to Brussels. We stayed in a hotel just adjacent to a gothic church and just a short walk from the Grand Place, a square in the center of the city with beautiful old Renaissance architecture and flowers. This was Kani's favorite place of all. After touring a few days in Brussels, we became itchy to come home, were missing our little boy, and had the unexpected expense of having to buy new glasses for me! So we skipped an extra day to see Waterloo, (I have already toured it), and came home a day early. It's great to be back in the land of iced tea and endless refills!!

Adventures In Babysitting, Canada: Be Sure To Pack Some Mittens

Not since Hitler's 6th German Army capitulated just outside of Stalingrad in the Russian Winter of '42 has there been such a weather debacle as faced by our innocent little lamb of a 14-year-old daughter, Hannah, on her trip to Calgary, Alberta, just days ago...

Dutifully obedient and eager to please her Dad...(?)....and her Mom, Hannah packed her brand new REI backpack with some capris, tennies, sandals, t-shirts, and, yes, some unmentionables, anticipating fair, sunny weather in Calgary, just as she had enjoyed on a recent trip to same. Unbeknownest to her, and us, and the Lonards, (her hosts), a snowy storm blew in on the day she arrived, like some gail out of a Gordon Lightfoot song, and nearly froze our poor little Hannah to death. Imagine, if you will, the pathetic picture of Hannah sitting on a bench at the airport, waiting for her ride, her lower legs unprotected by her cheery denim capris and turning blue, her shoulders shivering violently from the cold, her bathing suit strapped to her face, like some kind of makeshift mask, to keep icicles from forming on the tip of her sweet little nose....

It really pulls at your heart-strings, doesn't it, dear friends? But there's more pitifulness....on the first day of her 'job' as nanny, Hannah was locked out of the house by the dastardly Lonard boys, eager to test the metal of their new household mistress. Outside the warm house, once again vulnerable to the elements, but this time without her bikini, and, as the Lonard boys stood at the windows of their home, licking icing off forbidden cake in open defiance, Hannah kept her cool and did what she does best. She got on her cell phone, contacted the lady of the house, Erin, and narc'd on the two mischevious little munsters, just as she often tattles on me to her mom. Erin immediately came home and set things right.

Please stay tuned for further updates on Hannah's Canadian adventure, perhaps her next experience will not be so poignant...

Somewhere That's Green

After ignoring our dear blog for so long, it's time to announce that we have moved to a new house in downtown Tomball! (new for us). Actually, the house is a bit smaller than what we had before, a 60's era simple brick house with porches in front and back, a car port, and a detached garage that I have converted into a family room. We love living in this neighborhood, everyone is so friendly and there are so many conveniences. (Tonight Kani and I went to our favorite Chinese place and the drive was about 2-3 mins.) Our house is in an old neighborhood that branches off of Main Street in downtown Tomball, and we are within walking distance to all it's shops and eateries. The whole atmosphere reminds you of small town America, and this is exactly what we were looking for all along since moving back to Texas from Florida...

Hannah & Chase have a huge fenced back yard to play in and practice flag work(for Hannah's color guard). I love having a room to putz around in (garage) that I have deemed 'The Wolf's Lair.' If I get in trouble with Kani I will just go have time out in my Wolf's Lair... There are lots of cool old houses around us in our neighborhood of differing shapes and sizes, but all tastefully done, and there are even a few eccentrics, which every great town needs.

We are having a great time and look forward to lots of cookouts with family and friends, small group meetings, and just relaxing around our house.

Spam Jam? Thank You, Ma'am...

Here is a quick rundown of our activities on our Hawaii anniversary get-away. Bear in mind that this was intended all along as a low-key few day escape from our kiddos, and originally we were to go to Bahamas, but figured out that HNL was likely cheaper and no surprises...

THURS: Flew to LAX and stayed the night at Travel Lodge, in the same room where our minister & wife stayed 4 years ago, on our way to HNL for our wedding. (Kind of fun to sleep in the same bed your minister did....) Ate at one of our favorite romantic restaurants.....Denny's......in the Travel Lodge building...

FRI: Flew in Bus First to HNL, ate steak & lobster, slept like babies. Once in HNL, got off bus and went to Chan's chinese buffet near HNL airport. Tummies full, went to Waikiki on city bus, coincidently called 'The BUS.' (we are big spenders). Once in Waikiki, went to beach, and waited for dusk hula show which has always taken place before. Show did not take place, perhaps due to city budget cuts, economy, etc. (Hula beach shows are now just on Tues/Thurs/Sat...) Took some great sunset pics on beach, then went strolling about Waikiki looking at nightlife and shopping...later, we split up, Kani to Intl Marketplace, me to go find her a special gift for next day....

SAT: Picked up rental car, went to breakfast at Pete's Smorgy, then took Kani to Ka-akako State Park, where we had our wedding in '05, and surprised her by wearing my wedding shirt, re-stating my vows to her, and giving her a pearl necklace bought secretly night before. Kani was very happy and I earned big-time points... Then, went on a wonderful driving tour of Oahu beginning in Waikiki and driving counter-clock-wise around island. Just wonderful!! Highly recommend it. Stopped at Dole Plantation but blew off going in. After most of day touring, went back to hotel, freshened up, went to 'Spam Jam,' a street festival(of many)held in Waikiki annually. Watched sweet little girls' troupe put on wonderful hula show. After festival, once again strolled nightlife of Waikiki and went to one of our favorite romantic restaurants........Denny's......where we romantically split the chicken fried steak....

SUN: Went to Chinatown and had dim sum. Kani was very brave and did not squirm when I ate a whole bowl of chicken feet. Kani got to try several dumpling variations, sesame ball filled with bean curd, steamed bun with minced pork inside, and Chinese tea. A feast!! Then , tummies full, went to DiamondHead and climbed up and down in 1 hour. Last time we did this, Kani was 5 1/2 months preggy, and we began our hike from central Waikiki, not base of DiamondHead Volcano... We still can't believe we did that. (No wonder Chase turned out like he has)...Checked out of hotel, went shopping at Aloha Tower stores and Ala Moana Mall, then feast at Bubba Gump's. Then on to airport and a whole other adventure getting home....

Again, this trip was a low-end affair but was much needed and we both agree has been perhaps our best to Hawaii: no wedding or kids or relatives to worry over, etc... Just relaxing....Ahhhhhhhh.........

Clunkers Have More Fun....

Hannah has instructed my to write about her home-made, balloon-propelled car that she built for 8th grade chem/physics class...It is the only time I have ever received a good grade in either subject. Observe our resourcefulness:

(Car Body): McDonald's to-go cardboard drink tray

(Axles): Wooden dowels suspended in McDonald's drink straws

(Straws then anchored to body using dollar story toy rings(straws thru the loops, etc)...

(Wheels): Walgreens medicine bottle caps pinned to dowels

...We blew air into the balloon many times, would not roll. Then Hannah told me she would get an 88 just for following building rules. I said "Take it and run." Hannah shows up to class and gets 90, 2 extra points for originality. Hannah and other 'Clunker car' friends have 'races' and H's wins because it travels about 5centimeters...Dad has a good laugh, thinking "I've taught her well. My work is done here..."

Chasey-isms (Age 2)

1) "Dad-gumit Lamby, lay down!" (Chasey instructs his stuffed animal to 'Sleep!')

2) "Jus a minute, I be right back..." (Witnessed by Marti H & Karen Z at Pinecove)

3) "I want some decorations...(?)" ('Operation'(board game)fruit snacks)

4) "Hee-hee, you crack me!!" (Sister, your funny faces are making me laugh)

5) "Dad, I really, really need candy corns, RIGHT NOW!!" (self-explanatory)

You're An Errand Boy Sent By Grocery Clerks to Sprinkle Cheese On Our Ravioli

I'm desperately trying to lose a little weight for my upcoming Aggie reunion...

Observe my diligence: last night we went to Olive Garden, I drank both our wine samples, (it's free), then Kani and I shared the mushrooms portabella and stuffed mushrooms appetizer...mushrooms are not fattening. I ate lots of salad first(it's free), and breadsticks(free too), and when Hannah did not finish her last cheese stick with marinara sauce, I did not want it to go to waste...

Not good enough? ....yes, I know... who am I kidding? But I've always been big. In high school, I was referred to as 'Teddybear.' But imagine trying to protect the quarterback from guys like Northbrook's Ty Allert(NFL) or Angleton's David Stanley(SMU's Benedict Arnold). Being Pooh just doesn't cut it. Was I supposed to 'honey' them to death?

So this is my strategy...last night, after that delicious dinner, we stopped at my barber's on FM 1960. I got a #3 cut...rather short. I will be working some outside this week, so I should get some nice sun. Then if I wear some loose fitting dark clothes and hide my weight, kind of like what Coppola did with Brando when he showed up tubby for Apocolypse Now...

But who am I kidding...

Today is Saturday, and we have a busy weekend planned. So, crepes would be an excellent start to a busy day. And to make them correctly, that is, the way my precious family knows them and loves them, I am REQUIRED to use a nice, rich beer...this time I'm trying Carta Blanca. And of course, must have Nutella to spread on top. But, the other garnish will just be strawberries...strawberries are not fattening.

Obama Pup-Slaps CNN's Henry For Wearing Ferrells Ice Cream Parlor Tie to Press Conference

President Obama gave a less than jovial answer to CNN correspondent Ed Henry when he persisted in a line of questioning suggesting that Obama waited several days before expressing outrage at AIG's controversial bonus payouts.

"I like to know what I'm talking about before I speak, ok?" was the President's short retort at the end of a rather tense exchange.

With this caution in mind, The President will also insist on "waiting until after at least a year of personal use" before he will agree to officially endorse Maui KaPow-E, a newer, more potent strain of an old island favorite...