Santa Lucia

I guess we never celebrated the Swedish holiday Santa Lucia Day growing up because there were three boys in my family. Last weekend, Elsa and her friend Nina wore crowns and lighted candles and we ate pickled herring, swedish meatballs, and smoked salmon. Henry danced the night away.

You do the Bump-de-Bump...

You do the Bump-de-Bump!

Had a fantastic weekend visiting ol' Bumpa. Elsie got to trick or treat there on Sunday, and now gets to go again tonight in Rochie.

Here she is wearing Bumpa's old Navy outfit from Dubbya Dubbya Two, the one he was wearing when he crashed his PT boat during the Battle of Midway.

Brother Ben

Hey, look who was in town for dinner last night!

Ben!

We had a swell time. I made some lamb sausage and chickpeas. Ben didn't eat, he just sat there, smiling at us the whole time.

Sometimes Ben joins us when we eat outside. And sometimes Henry brings him outside when I am grilling.

I Wish I Lived in Wisconsin Part 2

Brewers lost 9-1

Wrestling with Bumpa

Running the bases at Miller Park

At the Milwaukee Art Museum

I Wish I Lived in Wisconsin Part 1:
http://elsabean.blogspot.com/search?q=i+wish+i+lived+in+wisconsin

Man Book Club / September 2013 Update

"The first rule of Man Book Club is: You do not talk about Man Book Club. The second rule of Man Book Club is: You do not talk about Man Book Club!"

A Constellation of Vital Phenomena Anthony Marra 5/5
CivilWarLand in Bad Decline George Saunders 5/5
TransAtlantic Colum McCann 4/5
Becoming a Man Paul Monette 4/5
Sleepwalk Adrian Tomine 4/5
Summer Blonde Adrian Tomine 4/5
The Dinner Herman Koch 4/5
Crimes in Southern Indiana Frank Bill 3/5
Underwater Welder Jeff Lemire 3/5
The Wettest County in the World Matt Bondurant 3/5
Lester Bangs Reader Lester Bangs 3/5
Bad Monkey Carl Hiaasen 3/5
A Map of Tulsa Benjamin Lytal 3/5
Burgess Boys Elizabeth Strout 2/5
At the End of a Dull Day Massimo Carlotto 2/5

Hit Me Lawrence Block 2/5

Portlandia

Elsa outside Powell's Bookstore in Portland.

She's 8, by the way.

Math with Henry

"Hey Dad, when Elsa's 9 how old will I be?"

"6."

"When you are 51 will I be in college?"

"No, you'll be in middle school."

"What's middle school?"

"Junior high."

"Is that like high school?"

"Yeah."

"When Elsa is furteen how old will I be?"

"Furteen?"

"Yeah.

"You'll be 10."

"When I'm twenty-hundred-forty-two how old will Elsa be?"

"I don't know Henry, that's pretty old."

Jack Rabbit

Uncle Chris was in town last week. He convinced Elsa to go on this 100-year-old roller coaster. Henry and I watched from a distance.

Missing the H-Man

Scatting "On Wisconsin" Zappa toom bah ziggity bo!

Reading at Breakfast

Haven't seen the man in over a week! Miss you little buddy!

Matt Harvey

Look at that form! That arm swing! And I don't have to wait every five days to watch him pitch!

Interesting that he is pitching to Santana.

I just jinxed it, didn't I, Isaacs?!

Our House, is a Very Very Very Fine House

New Front Door

New Back Door and Steps

New Side Door

New Front Windows

Starting to Bloom

Don't Ask, Don't Tell

"Hey Dad, are Frog and Toad friends or brothers?"
"Well...Henry...that's a good question..."

Good Fences Make Good Neighbors

Hello, it's Henry. I don't agree with that aphorism when it comes to Sue and Jim. The only good thing about their fence is that it keeps my tennis balls from rolling into their yard. And I guess it keeps Cody safe. It's also good because it is a chain link fence and I can smell Jim's barbecue through it. Dad says Jim knows a lot about cooking barbecue because it is "in his DNA." I don't know what DNA is, but if it tastes as good as his barbecue smells, I would love to try it.

This is Sue and Jim's Redbud tree next door. It just started to bloom. It's very pretty this time of the year. So pretty that we planted one in our backyard last year. Oh, and look at that amazing paint job that Dad did on our garage.

I am getting very good at climbing trees. Don't worry Sue and Jim, only when my Dad is around.

Sue and Jim spend part of their time in Florida. Dad says "that's where the beautiful people live." But while they are there in the spring they miss their blooming Redbud tree and these pretty tulips.

This is roof debris from a neighboring house. Sue and Jim are always picking this up off their driveway, they must have sore backs.

This is their front yard. Dad is taking care of it while they live with the beautiful people. He has an electric mower that he is already complaining about because he says "it weighs, like 500 pounds."

I am excited to see Sue and Jim when they return from visiting the beautiful people.

Baskie

Henry calls it "Baskie". He likes to play "tenacious D". He can bounce pass. When he dunks it on his mini-hoop he immediately runs away from the net, he's going to be great in transition.

Who is the best basketball player in the whole wide world, Dad?

Well, right now Lebron is pretty good. 

Could he beat you?

Maybe.

  

Man Book Club / April 2013 Update

"The first rule of Man Book Club is: You do not talk about Man Book Club. The second rule of Man Book Club is: You do not talk about Man Book Club!"

Let the Great World Spin Colm Toibin 5/5
Beautiful Ruins Jess Walter 5/5
That Old Cape Magic Richard Russo 2/5
This is How You Lose Her Junot Diaz 5/5
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao Junot Diaz 6/5
Black Irish Stephan Talty 3/5
The Devil in the White City  Erik Larson 5/5 
Unholy Night Seth Grahame-Smith 5/5
Canada Richard Ford 2/5
Columbine Dave Cullen 5/5

and beyond...

End Zone Don DeLillo 3/5
Train Dreams Denis Johnson 4/5 
Ravens George Dawes Green 2/5
Coal Black Horse Robert Olmstead 3/5
Living on the Black John Feinstein 4/5
Middle Men Jim Gavin 5/5
We Live in Water Jess Walter 5/5
Cogan's Trade George V. Higgins 2/5
A Night to Remember Walter Lord 5/5
Silver Linings Playbook Matthew Quick 4/5
Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter Seth Grahame-Smith 4/5
World War Z Max Brooks 3/5
All That Is James Salter 5/5
Nanjing Requiem  Ha Jin 3/5
The Expats Chris Pavone 2/5
The Thief Fuminori Nakamura 4/5
I'd Know You Anywhere Laura Lippman 3/5
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone J.K. Rowling 5/5

Pumps Lake: For All of Your Seasonal Activities!

Our low-lying backyard affords us so many opportunities! In the spring we have a lovely swimming area with a great lakeside view. We can relax, watch the kids play, and feed the ducks. And in the winter, there's  POND HOCKEY!

http://hawkchilds.blogspot.com/search?q=backyard

Pizza and Rings

Eating pizza and wings is a very western New York thing to do. Here, Henry has turned his Lego Gollum from The Hobbit into a real Rochesterian!

1993

I made this 1993 INDIE RAWK! mix and listened to it yesterday at the gym on my ipod. I felt very INDIE RAWK! looking around at all those posers lifting weights...

Ah, to be 22 again.
 

Keep Me Around, American Music Club

He’s After Me, The Hang-Ups

Never Said, Liz Phair

Knockin’ On Mine, Paul Westerberg

Range Life, Pavement

Anodyne, Uncle Tupelo

Positive Bleeding, Urge Overkill

Tree in Orange, Walt Mink

Tractor Rape Chain, GBV

Rafael, Seam 

My Little Helper

Henry keeps getting more useful around the house.

Happy Birthday, Henry!

Growth Spurt

Just got a picture from Andrea, they took care of Henry last Saturday. Look at this guy! GROWTH SPURT!

He's really into wrestling. Really into it. We have marathon sessions that leave me panting.

"I like wrestling Daddy. I like hugging Mom"

Johnny Rotten

He even has the possessed/demon eye thing going here...Hide your daughters, OY!

Elsa at 'Jekyll and Hyde' Rehearsal

Painting the "Red Rat"

Drafting a Rehearsal Schedule

Elsa helped me out on Saturday at rehearsal. She painted a few flats, practiced makeup application with some students, and watched dance rehearsal. We had about 40 kids and a dozen parents helping out. Everyone busy creating makeup looks, painting flies, building masks and puppets, learning choreography, and making set pieces. A great day! The show opens March 7.

Day Two: Jekyll and Hyde Set Build

Genius set painters and builders, and this is just day one!

First pic is Jekyll's Lab, second is The Red Rat, and last two are masks that Board of Governor's will wear above their heads...

Great help from parents and students on Saturday, show is going to look awesome!