I get to enjoy a three day weekend, Monday is memorial day. So i want to spend it with the family.
Yesterday we spent on the beach. We have friends with a beach house, very nice where we played in the surf, had some cold beverages and grilled out.
Today is boating day but the rain is pouring down and Marta does not like it at all. To get herself into a better mood she started vacuuming. The rest of us is hiding upstairs more convinced than ever that it doesn't work. But we do enjoy a clean house.
I guess we will go to Target later, that might be the most exciting thing we do today.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Graduation
I can not believe it. One, our little Alex is not so little anymore, graduated preschool today!Two, it was not this big a deal when I grew up.
I'm speechless, so is my wife ( a nice change). It was fantastic, I ran late off course, had some business to deal with, but they waited 5 minutes so that I could be part of it . The kids were like robots, they had to have practiced a good bit but that did not stop Marta from crying like the Niagara falls. I might have shed a tiny tear too but that is beside the point.
I am so grateful that I have this wonderful opportunity to be someones pappa, to have an significant other to share this with.
We'll screw it up in the end, no question about it. I hope from the bottom of my heart that you get to experience the same.
I'm speechless, so is my wife ( a nice change). It was fantastic, I ran late off course, had some business to deal with, but they waited 5 minutes so that I could be part of it . The kids were like robots, they had to have practiced a good bit but that did not stop Marta from crying like the Niagara falls. I might have shed a tiny tear too but that is beside the point.
I am so grateful that I have this wonderful opportunity to be someones pappa, to have an significant other to share this with.
We'll screw it up in the end, no question about it. I hope from the bottom of my heart that you get to experience the same.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Ballet
All Fia is talking about is ballet, she so wants to dance.
Well, since Barca won La Liga, Marta wants for her to do soccer. So it's up to me to make my little princess happy.
Even though I have a professional ballerina as a sister in law who has shown me a good bit ( she's got to be adopted, no Campilla has that kind of patience) I feel a little not good enough, then again it could be like...
to be totally myself, the free spirit, the artist that I am, right Chris? Moves, oh do I have moves, Marta can't sink through the ground fast enough when I hit the floor especially when I do my trademark, the coconut. That may include all of my family come think of it, they're not to be found and dragged up on stage with me when the moment of fame arise.
Well, since Barca won La Liga, Marta wants for her to do soccer. So it's up to me to make my little princess happy.
Even though I have a professional ballerina as a sister in law who has shown me a good bit ( she's got to be adopted, no Campilla has that kind of patience) I feel a little not good enough, then again it could be like...
to be totally myself, the free spirit, the artist that I am, right Chris? Moves, oh do I have moves, Marta can't sink through the ground fast enough when I hit the floor especially when I do my trademark, the coconut. That may include all of my family come think of it, they're not to be found and dragged up on stage with me when the moment of fame arise.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Summer travels
All of a sudden I have more work than I can handle, if only for a short time ( as far as I can see) I appreciate it.
School is almost done, next week is the last week and then Marta and the kids will start the summer traveling. First is a week in Washington DC to visit with her oldest American brother, then Michigan for a week to top it off with a month at their favorite city.
Milu and I will be at home watering our vegetables wishing that we were with them in...
School is almost done, next week is the last week and then Marta and the kids will start the summer traveling. First is a week in Washington DC to visit with her oldest American brother, then Michigan for a week to top it off with a month at their favorite city.
Milu and I will be at home watering our vegetables wishing that we were with them in...
Monday, May 11, 2009
$1800 spent on a Volvo
Could buy some stuff or get Marta's Volvo almost fixed. Yep, almost, have to take it back in for a warranty repair on the electronic throttle body.
My good friends ( I'm being sarcastic) at the dealership has to take it through some testing even though I have the printout what is failing. This might take up to 3 sessions and after that an authorization from Volvo North America has to be approved.
Why don't I have my guy fix it ( he's a certified Volvo technician but independent so no warranty work is granted) is that it runs about $1000. After all my time spent and work missed it will cost me that anyway. Got to love dealer ships. I had the dealer quote the same work that my guy did, they were over $1200 more expensive and yes my guy used Volvo original parts.
The only reason I buy the cars we have is the fact I have a good mechanic. If he quits there will never be another Volvo in my drive way, the Volvo dealership has made that point very clear to me.
My good friends ( I'm being sarcastic) at the dealership has to take it through some testing even though I have the printout what is failing. This might take up to 3 sessions and after that an authorization from Volvo North America has to be approved.
Why don't I have my guy fix it ( he's a certified Volvo technician but independent so no warranty work is granted) is that it runs about $1000. After all my time spent and work missed it will cost me that anyway. Got to love dealer ships. I had the dealer quote the same work that my guy did, they were over $1200 more expensive and yes my guy used Volvo original parts.
The only reason I buy the cars we have is the fact I have a good mechanic. If he quits there will never be another Volvo in my drive way, the Volvo dealership has made that point very clear to me.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Goodnight Milu
I think that I have told you about a boy and his dog before. I will do it again.
Our German Shepard, the 8 1/2 year old little Milu, has a habit of making sure that the kids ( her pups/siblings) are OK and that they fall asleep properly. She has since we brought them home from the hospital made her rounds during the nights and she's the one that wakes us up when one of them is ill or had a nightmare.
Every night she goes in to Fia's room, stays until she falls asleep and then move on to Alex's room. Since we got back from Disney Alex is paying the little Milu some more attention, I guess he really missed her.
Now when I enter his room at night for the last checkup and to give him one more kiss and whisper that I love him I find the following in his bed.
One hairy German Shepard who is fully stretched out on top of the bed, the same dog has Alex's favorite blanket draped over her. At her head I see a couple of story books, she obviously had a bedtime story read to her and what few images in that particular book shown to her ( every night is a different book). Also that his reading light is left one is clue #2.
Then my heart gets soft, Alex is always holding her paw in his hand, one has to see it to believe it I guess.
She used to be my dog but not so much anymore. I get home late, way after their bedtime three nights a week and all I get from Milu is a couple of thumps with her tail against the mattress, excuse me for expecting her to get out of Alex's bed for maybe a treat or two.
Our German Shepard, the 8 1/2 year old little Milu, has a habit of making sure that the kids ( her pups/siblings) are OK and that they fall asleep properly. She has since we brought them home from the hospital made her rounds during the nights and she's the one that wakes us up when one of them is ill or had a nightmare.
Every night she goes in to Fia's room, stays until she falls asleep and then move on to Alex's room. Since we got back from Disney Alex is paying the little Milu some more attention, I guess he really missed her.
Now when I enter his room at night for the last checkup and to give him one more kiss and whisper that I love him I find the following in his bed.
One hairy German Shepard who is fully stretched out on top of the bed, the same dog has Alex's favorite blanket draped over her. At her head I see a couple of story books, she obviously had a bedtime story read to her and what few images in that particular book shown to her ( every night is a different book). Also that his reading light is left one is clue #2.
Then my heart gets soft, Alex is always holding her paw in his hand, one has to see it to believe it I guess.
She used to be my dog but not so much anymore. I get home late, way after their bedtime three nights a week and all I get from Milu is a couple of thumps with her tail against the mattress, excuse me for expecting her to get out of Alex's bed for maybe a treat or two.
Monday, May 4, 2009
To meet a hero at Kennedy Space Center
During our stay in Florida we went to Kennedy Space Center or NASA if you like. It was the coolest thing I have ever seen. We were very fortunate to see both launch ramps loaded with Atlantis and Endeavour.
Alex and Fia somehow won tickets for us to see the Atlantis take off on May 11th in the VIP stands. Well, we have things to do and we will most likely smack our selves in the head for not going come 20 years down the road, besides Fia lost her two invites but she says it's OK.
Long story short we had the ultimate privilege to meet with an astronaut, shuttle pilot Jon McBride.
I'm absolutely at a loss of words to explain what we got to see. They really don't need to show you all of this but my appreciation to what we were allowed to see, the way it was executed and the way these heroes ( astronauts) are humble in their way to share their experiences was absolutely first class.
And Alex has a signed picture with a personal greeting that is THE coolest thing. Thank you Mr. McBride and NASA, you made our day.
The mere fact that he was on the first shuttle to be launched,Columbia and then later on the Challenger , both have been lost since then in tragic events ( only two shuttles, well shuttle going up orbiter coming back as we who are tight with NASA say, that have been lost since the program started?) is just amazing to me about this mans character, talk about nerves or guts. Wow.
Alex and Fia somehow won tickets for us to see the Atlantis take off on May 11th in the VIP stands. Well, we have things to do and we will most likely smack our selves in the head for not going come 20 years down the road, besides Fia lost her two invites but she says it's OK.
Long story short we had the ultimate privilege to meet with an astronaut, shuttle pilot Jon McBride.
I'm absolutely at a loss of words to explain what we got to see. They really don't need to show you all of this but my appreciation to what we were allowed to see, the way it was executed and the way these heroes ( astronauts) are humble in their way to share their experiences was absolutely first class.
And Alex has a signed picture with a personal greeting that is THE coolest thing. Thank you Mr. McBride and NASA, you made our day.
The mere fact that he was on the first shuttle to be launched,Columbia and then later on the Challenger , both have been lost since then in tragic events ( only two shuttles, well shuttle going up orbiter coming back as we who are tight with NASA say, that have been lost since the program started?) is just amazing to me about this mans character, talk about nerves or guts. Wow.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
They're still there
Even though we have this deep recession, to my surprise I found one happy couple still alive and well. Business appeared to be a little bit slower than previous years but no sign of a chapter 11 any time soon what I could tell.
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