On to the Particulars...

Since setting sail on this adventure, I have noticed that other bloggers seem quite comfortable with naming the names of their kids, wives, husbands, etc...

Even though I am posting my thoughts and emotions online, I feel that perhaps I should be willing to follow along the path blazed by others. However, I am also not inclined to run with the crowd. That and I am a tad self-centered, somewhat blunt, and I have this desire to be both 'out there' and intensely private. Private wins in this issue.

So, the characters in this and future plays are as follows:

Me : Me, I, myself
The Wife: the wife, my better half, our long-suffering angel, the boss, the light of my life (ok, this is laying it on a bit thick, but on the off-chance she actually reads this post, it also cannot hurt)

HEY! a fat man on a 10-speed almost took out 2 or 3 of the audience members on 'The Late Show'!!

our daughter: g.imp (girl imp contracted...yes I know an apostrophe is traditional but get over it)
our son: b.imp

Whatever happened to mom and dad saying, "time for bed kids" and the little ones would scurry off like roaches in the kitchen when the light snaps on...?

A little over a year ago, I went back to work full-time. Obviously an office environment was not an option so I went back to the old standby, the Natural Resources industry. My particular job is driving around the backroads and byways of the State and convincing people that 2,000 to 8,000 feet deep holes in their lawns are good things. Ironically, it really helps to sell this viewpoint when prices are up.

So, while I was out on the road we needed help around the house. To that end, my wife's fam stepped up and delivered. Her mother, her sister-in-law and her niece alternately moved in with us and helped care for the imps.

However, as the age group our visitors grew younger, I noticed the quality of food became, somewhat less home cooked and more along the instant variety (or hand-delivered to a table along with the bill).

Eventually other oddities came to light. The b.imp used to take a bath/brush teeth, say prayers, read a book and sleep (it was more a less a crap shoot with the g.imp but she at least stayed in her bed and was quiet). Now that I am home, I can see how much back-sliding has occurred.

Before continuing I do have to admit that I am very grateful and thankful for the help of my in-laws. The wife and I would have not been able to take advantage of many opportunities without their presence/help.

However having the b.imp scream, yell, wail, whimper, cry and thrash his way through two hours a night before finally sobbing his way to dreamland was a bridge I thought we had already crossed and burned.

...four and a half hours have passed since my wife and the b.imp disappeared into his room and it is just now quiet.

Dare I hope???


(ok, I know I look bad here but I did do the dishes, iron several shirts--without leaving an imprint of the iron burned into the cloth -- and actually considered vacuuming the carpets. But hey, I am still a guy and do have my standards)