Stretching the Parental Radius

Last week, I went to Pittsburgh for the International ASABE conference for four days and gave a talk-which went well. It was the first time I had left Henry for longer than 10 hours. I think I had a worse night's sleep without Henry than I have with Henry. I did take a few runs in Pittsburgh, I was surprised by the city's beauty, cleanliness, and activity. The downtown is surrounded by rivers flowing with activity; barges, kayaks, paddle wheel boats...there are freight trains traveling through. I liked it more than San Francisco. With me out of the way, Max and Henry did some real male bonding. Max introduced Henry to soccer by watching the World Cup games, Henry keeps saying "soca-ball." Max is can't stop talking about how he hopes Henry will play soccer. Henry apparently fell asleep by Max on the couch watching Sports Center. And a development that is likely not related to soccer, since I have returned Henry has been eating meat like a Viking...odd.

And of course while I was gone Isabelle had to go to the vet. She was bitten by some insect and had a systemic response. Poor girl, she did not eat for days-and if you know Isabelle-that means it is serious. She is doing much better-she even got a hold of some diapers yesterday.

Since my return Max and I have been staying up late watching "True Blood" Season 2. HBO, really, has the best programming. Fantastic. You almost need a minor in classics to comprehend some of the super natural story lines though. I do not want to give away anything meaningful, but I was really excited about Eric's Maker, Godric, a 2000 year old vampire, coming into the story but as soon as I started to want to see more of Godric, a wise, peaceful, beautifully Grecian looking, vampire- he goes and "meets the sun." I am still recovering from the wound; the sting is not as deep as the end of "The Wire."

It is still hot here in Auburn. On Saturday we went to Kiesel Park and Henry had a crazy amount of fun playing fetch with Isabelle and two other dogs. Henry was also very amused by the doggie pool, which of course Isabelle was monopolizing-he was tempted to jump into the muddy water but I kept ruining his chances.

Riddle me this...

Max made it to Denver and back. Henry missed him as did I. I was able to take in "Leap Year" a movie Max never would have made it through without remarking about it in some negative way every couple of minutes. Though my funny husband did make two very funny jokes since coming home. The first was made after seeing a commercial for Fruit 2 Day (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H62JTA1sDX8) Max commented, "Great, it is like drinkable puke." He also made a comment about the truck made from construction paper with a red "N" license plate, "I am disappointed that are not bull balls hanging below the "N" truck plate." I am sure you all wish you could be surrounded by such genius humor.

Henry was sick this last weekend and of course managed to puck on me a couple of times. I am so glad he is feeling better. We are continuing to enjoy Sesame Street clips on Hulu. I enjoyed watching Feist sing a version of "1234" and Norah Jones sing, "I don't know why" about the letter"Y." Henry really loves the "ABC" singing clips. Henry also really enjoyed decorating his room. So, here is a little version of MTV Cribs, pictures of Henry's room (above).

I hope to add pictures of the townhouse and finish the Crib tour but we are still working on our room.

Hulu and Max's absence also afforded me the opportunity to enjoy the genius that "30 Rock." I love that show-perhaps the best comedy on television right now. As Leslie gave me the go ahead I dropped Emerson to focus and enjoy MFK Fisher. She is fun and interesting to read. I just finished this essay about the potato. Brilliant.

This week I figured out the whole "Alabama Vs Auburn" rivalry war cries when I saw a license plate with "Roll back the Tide". Alabama, the Crimson Tide, cries, "Roll Tide, Roll tide," and Auburn out of spite, cries "Roll back the Tide." It is amazing the War Eagle is even on the cop cars here. I heard an Mech E explain that Auburn has the highest loyalty from alums, somewhere around 88%. Alums surveyed apparently would not change anything about their experience at Auburn.

And of course, I must comment on the Big 12 shake up. First, I am just slightly raw from NPR reporting on it from the perspective of CU! Really, who care about the Buffs? The bigger story was Nebraska's move to the Big 10. And I just want to take this moment to give a virtual tissue to Steve and maybe two or three tissues to Dan, Big 10 traditionalists. I know this is hard for you...it is troubling to embrace such a fantastic and formidable opponent.

But Nebraska leaving the Big 12 is sad, as Berry Tramel put it in the The Oklahoman,

“Going their separate ways are proprietors of the most glorious brand of college football the sport has ever seen. Nebraska to the northern kingdom, putting 12 teams in the Big Ten and leaving 10 teams in the Big 12, funky numbers that will befuddle future mathematicians. ...Never again will the Big Reds meet on a frozen field and play slobberknocker football, the kind that would thrill fans from nine to 90. See-your-breath, scrape-your-elbows, blood-sweat-and-cheers football.”

I am not sure what slobbeknocker means, but I know I am little sad at the though the Huskers will not be playing its' old Big 8 rivals...

In Training.

I have very exciting (parenting) news: Henry is learning to use the potty! He went two times yesterday, right away this morning and once this afternoon and before bed! He has also discovered the joy one can glean from M&Ms; not only can counting and naming colors of M&Ms be fun but they also can stain fingers. We have started letting Henry watch Sesame Street clips on Hulu. Henry, in just three evenings of exposure, finds Cookie Monster a little scary but that Elmo is delightful. Max has this incredible memory, much like my brother Adam, he remembers all of these episodes of Sesame Street he enjoyed as a child. We watched this bizarre cartoon, Lost Boy Remembers Home (http://www.hulu.com/watch/38842/sesame-street-lost-boy-remembers-way-home), Buffy St. Marie (Max said she was his favorite to watch) and others like Bobby McFerrin.

The last two weeks I have been making Artisan bread loaves about every other day. Max and Henry love the loaves. The best part is that the dough is so easy to make. I checked out MFK Fisher's collected works to supplement the Emerson, Thoreau, and Voltaire.

Sadly, reading Emerson is not so easy. I am reading Emerson's essay on Self-Reliance. I kind of wish I had my 10th or 11th grade English teacher around to help with the dense sentences, to make sure I am understanding correctly what I am reading. I think he makes some fairly good points. The one has stood the most was,

"Virtues are, in the popular estimate, rather the exception than the rule. There is the man and his virtues. Men do what is called a good action, as some piece of courage or charity, much as they would pay a fine in expiation of daily non-appearance on parade. Their works are done as an apology or extenuation of their living in the world, — as invalids and the insane pay a high board. Their virtues are penances. I do not wish to expiate, but to live. " RWE.

Now, there are two ways I could think about this: one as an engineer and the other way not as engineer. I can't help thinking engineers' "works are done as an apology." My own thought on that is still maturing. I will continue with the effort, though it is a bit ironic I am quoting a RWE as he rails against such a thing in the essay.

Except for today the heat, humidity continue to be oppressive. On Sunday our time at Hickory Dock Park was limited. Both Henry and I were reddened and sweating to the point of uncomfortableness within a half hour. We have backyard but it is not really a play area. Our backyard is wild. There is a fence located about 20 feet from the patio door and then an other fence 50 feet beyond that. It is odd. The area between the first and second fence is full of dense foliage and who knows what for spiders, insects, and small, rabid mammals. Isabelle, aka the terror this last week, has been the only one of us to investigate that patch of the property and return unscathed. But because we do not have one of those collars that translates dog to English the wild patch remains a mystery.

Locks for Oil

This morning I did what little I can do to help clean up the oil in the Gulf. I made an appointment at Ardistry Salon, a business that is donating all cut hair to the oil clean up ( http://www.offbeatauburn.com/2010/05/17/offbeat-auburn-podcast-ardistry-salon-wants-to-send-your-hair-to-the-gulf/). I feel like a new woman. Michelle, an Alabama native, cut and styled it, she was so friendly and interesting. She told me about her son's seventh birthday party at a skating rink, she said, "We hadn't been there more than 30 minutes before he done and broke his arm." She is from near Mobile and has a delightful accent. She also seemed truly concerned about the Gulf and the oil spill. I love going to salons where the stylist kind of sweeps you up into their reality and yours disappears for awhile.

Henry continues to do really well. He is our official mailbox opener. We lift him up to our box and help him insert the key and turn to retrieve the mail. He often wants to try to open the other mail boxes but either is unaware of the federal crime he would be committing or doesn't care. He made an umbrella at daycare for his turtle. He decorated the yellow umbrella with green dinosaurs stickers, which he selected from a variety of stickers-Miss Regina told us. I sense he is aware of the relationship between turtles and dinosaurs. He loves this books about Knut a baby polar raised at a German zoo.

Max is taking his first work related trip next week to Denver. Max is very excited as it is a Modeling Conference. I know, I know, you want to know how to sign up...I think it is just for USGS and their affiliates. This trip does afford me the opportunity to watch Chic Flicks! So give me some suggestions-funny ones only.

I just finished reading the galley version of Making Toast-thank you Leslie and Barbara for making it possible. (character introductions: Leslie is my dear friend from Lincoln who I used to share Margaritas with at La Mexicana and discussed high literature, politics, and life's dramas. Barbara, is a witty Lincolnite, who was the third member of a very exclusive book club Leslie and I started) and likes fancy, British sports cars.) I highly recommend it. One could read it in a couple hours. It is a memoir of family dealing with the unexpected death of a young woman- a daughter, mother, and wife. Just one perspective about going on with a gaping hole in your being-it touched my heart in a good way.