All That Was May

One of our backyard gardens, pre-mulch restoration.

Happy Last Day of May, Internet.

This month consistently ranks as one of the year's busiest, surpassed only by November, December, June and July.  As temperatures heat up, and nature itself begins to scream out for attention, one suddenly finds themselves surrounded by weekend activities (social obligations, house/yard obligations, kid-related obligations, etc.)  Every weekend is consequently filled up, and so one attempts to squeeze more time out of the weekdays, after work and school.  By this point in the school year, everyone's wrapping up shop with last-minute tests, end-of-the-year planning, and room clean-up, and being busy with all this bullshit makes time go insanely fast.

Aside from this month's previous posts, what follows are some leftover randoms from other stuff that happened around these parts during this month, the last hectic gauntlet of the school year.

Enjoy.

Tulips blooming in the front garden bed.

Some animal keeps scurrying across the black mulch, revealing the shittier light brown mulch underneath.  If I can find what ever animal is doing this, I'm going to f***ing kill it.

We have these tulips blooming up all over the dang place.

Abby had a sleepover with her friend Sophie towards the beginning of the month.  Here they're dancing along to one of our Wii U Just Dance games.

Behold the Super Nintendo Classic - a miniaturized version of the original SNES, preloaded with 32 games, 1080p resolution, and HDMI and USB compatible.  I'd been keeping an eye on this system since it first dropped over last summer, but with such a short supply available these things had a tendency of selling out in minutes.  They're only available on Ebay and Amazon at an insane mark-up (usually about twice what they're supposed to go for), but I miraculously was able to snag one during my lunch break at school one day during a flash sale, and scored it at its normal price.

Being the ever-industrious fellow that I am, I further upped the system's awesomeness by hacking into the console's operating system and uploading about 150 Nintendo, Sega Genesis, Super Nintendo, and Gameboy Advance games.  Couple hundred classic videogames ready to go on a single, wallet-sized console in my bedroom?  Don't mind if I do. . .

Abby assists Alayna in. . . sooooome sort of science-ish experiment.  That I'm sure irreparably damaged and/or stained something in the house. 

We found this in one of Abby's bathroom drawers, left behind by her slightly-demonic older sister.  When asked about it, Alayna casually explained that she was just 'leaving behind a prank.'  They did that sorta 'prank' in Vietnam, people. 

Abby decorated one of Kris' coffee mugs for Mother's Day.

During one of my school's Spirit Weeks, students got to dress up as one of their teachers.  I had quite a few kids dress up like me (apparently, I wear a lot of grey and black - wasn't aware of that until this month, actually), but this girl colored a pair of white shoes to replicate my pair of Asics I wear to work.  My students jokingly give me hell for having 'horrible shoes' all the time - since they're not, like, Jordans or something - so this was definitely hilarious.

For the last month or two, my riding lawnmower has been acting weird.  At first I attributed this to a weak battery, and after charging it up in the Spring, and letting some Stabil and other fuel crap run its way through the engine,  the mower seemed to work fine.  Then, one day, I started it up and engaged the PTO, and the engine seized up.  Wouldn't turn over at all, despite the battery being fully charged, the fuel tank being full, the oil recently changed, and new spark plugs put in.  I reluctantly called a local specialist to come pick it up, and when he did so he located one small fuse that had blown, and recommended I change that first.  I did so - it cost about 20 cents and took about 6 seconds - and ever since then this thing has run like new.  I'm a f***ing idiot.

Abby's actual birthday fell on, like, a Tuesday this month, so after dinner we let Abby open up one of her birthday gifts from us. . .

She's been asking for light-up 'rollerblades' for about a year now.  We were going to pull the trigger on them at Christmas, but figured her birthday was bound to be more weather-appropriate.

After nearly 14 years of valiant service, Kris and I decided this month to finally put our old couch and loveseat up for sale.  We'd been keeping an eye out for a sale on the sectional we had seen at Godwin's a couple months back, and we finally found one that we couldn't pass up.  I was willing to frickin' give away the couch and loveseat for free (like we did with the matching recliner, about two years ago), but Kris wanted at least a little for it.  In the end, a couple typical college dudes swung by and paid us $50 for both, and hauled away our old fart-ridden, Fezzig-nibbled, kid-colored, dog-soiled memories.  After the set was gone, we had about four days of a near-empty living room (see the available seating in this pic here) before the sectional arrived.)

Unfortunately, when the sectional arrived, one of the reclining pieces was broken, and they forgot one of the inserts.  I was on the verge of calling and cursing someone out, but Godwin's rectified the situation the following morning (replacing the broken piece and bringing the missing one.)  Shown here, all we're missing is the console insert (check it out here) - which will be showing up in early June, thereabouts (they had to back order it.)

One of the reasons we got this particular sectional was the back cushions can't be shoved down like they could on our old couch, which Watson loved because it gave him a comfy seat for his window gazing.  He's pretty pissed at us right now, and sulks in this spot most of the time.

Dad and Cindy swung by our house one weekend, towards the end of the month, to give the girls their birthday presents, seeing how Dad wasn't going to be around for the girls' upcoming combo-birthday party (remember? I talked about this - the trampoline thing.)

The girls are to that age now where they don't really play with toys anymore, and have soooooo much shit already clogging up the basement and their rooms that they don't have much space for anything else.  Dad and Cindy slipped each kid a $50, which, as you can see here, went over rather well.

. . . same goes with these shirts that they threw in, too.

Birthday-ish girls.

Trying out her new light-up skates at the local roller skating rink, Roll Arena.

On an afternoon family bike ride down to the BMX park at Stratford Woods Park. . .

We didn't end up staying too long, though, since there were some pretty ominous storm clouds barreling down towards us.  We stayed about five minutes, then rode the half-mile back to our house, making it just in time before the heavens opened up and all hell broke loose.

The Sunday before Memorial Day, we dropped the girls off at Marcy's and went over to a grill-out at my old high school buddy Trevor's house.  Here's the familiar deck where I practically lived during the Summer of '97.

Meanwhile, hanging out with Grandma Jordan in Clare. . .

Kimmel and Scrunge were supposed to be around, too, but both were forced to cancel at the last minute.  Matt Lee and his girlfriend were in town, though, visiting from San Francisco for the week.

This dude cooked up a ridiculous amount of food - chicken, ribs, potatoes, you name it.

We stayed until the evening, then swung out to pick up the kids from Marcy before heading back to Midland.

The next morning, Kris, the girls, and the city's various Girl Scout troops all marched in the annual Memorial Day Parade.

(Alayna's behind the kid at the right - you can barely make out her head and sunglasses.)

Abby fails to realize this is seriously like the worst time one can possibly drop an American flag. . .

More flowers, this time on the back of the house.  No idea what these are, but I know I hate them for being Farwell colors. . .

- Brian

Record Store Day '18 (...and Some Other Stuff)

Happy Record Store Day, Internet.

I had been on the fence for weeks, unsure if I wanted to bother with Record Store Day this year.  There wasn't a whole hell of a lot I was interested in picking up this year - maybe a couple LPs that stoked my interest, but nothing serious.  I had spoken with Jim, the owner of Radio Wasteland (my local record haunt) the last time I was in there buying a bunch of shit I didn't need, and he more or less echoed my sentiments.  So I was leaning towards skipping the event all together.

My dad, however, was after a Jethro Tull release (Moths) that Radio Wasteland may or may not be getting (record stores never know what they're getting ahead of time), and since Dad was away at work he asked if I could swing in and see if it was available.  This was more or less the deciding factor in me going out - I figured, 'why not,' and showed up about an hour before they opened this morning.  I had asked Jim if it was wise to show up so early, and he didn't think it was necessary:  last year they had only had a handful of people lined up when the store opened.

(I'm behind the sign - you can barely see me.)

You can imagine my surprise, then, when I showed up an hour before they opened to find about a dozen people lined up ahead of me outside the store.  Some of these people had been waiting since 6am (you know - those weird-looking, audiophile types who spent hundreds of dollars on albums no one cares about, yet live in either a.) a super shitty apartment, or b.) their parents' basement.) 

Anyway, I was a little pissed, but through eavesdropping on the conversations around me I ascertained that no one was after any of the records I was.  Also, being one of the first 50 customers in line, I was guaranteed one of the free Radio Wasteland turntable mats (see below.)

Behold my new turntable mat.

Eventually, the line began to snake into the store, where they had a table set up specifically for the exclusive Record Store Day releases.  As could be expected, the store didn't get everything that was available for purchase:  they didn't get Rage Against the Machine's Live at the 2000 Democratic National Convention that I was after, nor the Jethro Tull LP my dad wanted.  They did, however, have a couple new ones I was hoping for:  another exclusive RSD release by The Animals (Nights in San Francisco), and a collection of unreleased Johnny Cash songs and poems.

(Jim special-ordered this for me a week later.)

Most folks that were there picked up their releases and left, but Yours Truly stayed for about two hours, picking through all the vintage vinyl that everyone else passed by.  As a result, I scored a ridiculous amount of plunder for next to nothing - one of my more rewarding scores (which is saying something.)  Definitely hitting up Record Store Day next year.

By the time I got back from Radio Wasteland, Kris and the girls were ready for the day and itching to go the Midland Center for the Arts for some random thing they were doing over there (I don't remember, I wasn't really paying attention when she told me about it.)  Something to do with recycling or something?  Who knows.

Anyway, here's a brief look at some of the other stuff that happened later on our ridiculously busy Saturday. 

Enjoy. . .

Kris, the girls, and a brachiosaurus. 

Some experiment thing that was inside of the Center for the Arts.  Kids had to make 'machines' out of random crap in order to collect oil from a 'spill.'  Or something.  I'm not sure what was going on here.

Did you know that Michigan has a frickin' Scuba Diving Club?  Neither did I.  Totally makes sense, though - there is an insane number of shipwrecks throughout the Great Lakes - that'd be badass to dive and check those out.

Later on in the afternoon, making a stop at Chestnut Hill's playground during a family bike ride.  With the dog.

(My wife is a lazy, lazy woman.)

Yes, that's snow on the ground.  Still.  It's f***ing LATE APRIL, Michigan.

Later on in the evening, Abby rocks some of her dad's aviators at a barbecue at the Collier residence (some friends of ours.)

Teaching little girls how to pole dance.  'Cause College is expensive.

- Brian

What Randoms June Hath Wrought

In honor of our ol' pal Juno - Roman goddess of something-or-other, we present to you all a brief collection of visual randomness for the month that honors Her.

(You're welcome.)

Hard to believe this was only a few weeks ago - feels like another lifetime, honestly.  This bare, empty, shell of a room is all that remained of my classroom during the last week of school.  No books, no posters, no decor, no technology, no nothing.  The room gutted, my souvenirs from eight years of teaching boxed up and loaded into my car.  See ya later, Teaching.

Our last trip over the Scary Bridge, en route to the Voigts for one, final visit with the girls' honorary aunt and uncle (and cousins.)

Play-dopes.

Our girls decided to crash Jack's bedtime story sesson with Adam. . .

Some of Alayna's awards from First Grade that she brought home the last week of school.

Can't say I miss these guys running about the house.  Michigan doesn't seem to believe in cockroaches (like the poor, unfortunate soul shown here, who didn't realize who's house he was trespassing in.)

Had an awesome send-off with my buddies from work on our way home from my school, the last day of my employment.  This place is called the Fox and Hound pub - a British-styled pub that I could very well live in for the rest of my life.  These few pints to honor the close of my babysitting teaching career were very much needed (and appreciated.)

Just some paper puppets.  Cuddling under a blanket on our living room couch.  Why not.

The coolest thing about packing up your dishes a week before you have to load them onto the back of a moving truck?  Drinking chardonnay out of a plastic cup.  Classiness.  Defined.

A make-shift entertainment center in what was left of my Study, a few days before departure.  The Wii U from the living room, the TV from our master bedroom, and the remaining shelving that used to house my record collection.  It worked well in a pinch.

After Kris, the girls, Watson, Mom and John took our two cars north back to Michigan, Yours Truly got to indulge in more than a few no-kids-allowed pursuits, as shown here.

First full day back in Michigan, crashing at Mom and John's house in Midland.  Nothing spells 'success' like being in your mid-30s, unemployed and living with your parents. 

Oh Captain, My Captain.

In all the hub-ub and confusion of moving, Alayna's birthday kinda got pushed back onto the ol' back-burner, so she never got to finish opening her presents from us until four days after her birthday.  We'd eventually have the rest of her presents opened at Dad and Cindy's house in Clare, but we at least wanted her to open up the ones from us (including this Monster High Dracu-locker, which she had been asking for for months. . .)

We were a little worried about Alayna opening up a bunch of presents in front of her five-year-old sister, but Abby was pretty good about it this year.

A Guardians of the Galaxy playset for their Wii U Disney Infinity game - came with a full game and two additional figures for their Infinity Base (StarLord and Gamora.)

Checking out the Grace A. Dow Memorial Library (they frequent the joint a few times a week, as they have this incentive program where if you read for twenty minutes a day for a week - which our kids do - you get prizes, etc.)

Plymouth Park has been a godsend during this whole moving-in process.  Kris takes the girls up there late in the morning every day for scheduled group activities and games, sponsored by local businesses, churches, and other random organizations.

Superheroes and popsicles.

Not two days into our new Ivy House, we were besieged by an army of bike-riding blonde children, that evidently roam about the neighborhood in packs.  It's like living on the set of The Burbs, honestly - at any given time you see bands of three, four, five, six white kids all riding up and down the street, and it was only a matter of time before our two kids were brought into their fold.  Once the neighborhood kids found out we owned a small arsenal of Nerf guns, it was all over. . .

We had to intervene when they started shooting the darts across the street and running through traffic to retrieve them.  Miraculously, we only lost one dart (and no kids.)

Another incentive to take the kids up to Plymouth Park every day - besides to get them out of my hair while I lift heavy boxes up and down stairs, etc. - is the free picnic lunches they provide.  Can't argue with free healthy food.

Off on another family bike ride with the kids.  This neighborhood is so much more ideal for this than the last one - we live in a very quiet area of town, with little traffic, well-maintained sidewalks, and lots of enormous, shady trees.  We're all pretty big fans of the change.

As I said before, Dad had to spend a few days here, at the Mid-Michigan Regional Medical Center in Midland.  We visited him a couple times during his stay, including on Father's Day.

Jeff and his family also showed up (didn't get a pic with them in it - my apologies.)

Another perk of living in Michigan?  Miller Lite - my preferred, cheap 'sidearm beer' comes in a 15-pack for the same price a Florida 12-pack costs.  Can't argue with that. 

. . . AND it has good taste in baseball.  Cowabunga.

The Hough Line continues.  Jeff's son, Owen.  The first male of the Next Generation.

Our family and Jeff's went over to Mom and John's house towards the end of the month in order to have dinner and visit with Grandma and Grandpa Chinery.

Jeff cleans up some of his daughter Scarlet's handiwork. . .

The kids really liked spending time with their Great-Grandma. . .

. . . and between the two of them they about killed a snack tray of vegetables and ranch that had been out for everyone.

Mom sat herself down at the Kid Table.  Because she's insane.

The Grown Up Table.

Rocking cousin Owen

Kris attempts to figure out her new iPhone.  We had to switch providers after nearly twelve years with T-Mobile, as they're coverage is pure shit up here in Mid-Michigan.  After talking with lots of people, we ended up going with Verizon, but unfortunately our old phones - being T-Mobile phones - wouldn't work with the new carrier, so we had to upgrade.  Kris got herself an iphone, and I upgraded from the Samsung Galaxy 3 to the Galaxy 6.  Probably the greatest phone in humanity's existence, but I'll have to sell one of the kids to help pay it off.

As the dust settles from moving and unpacking, things are beginning to look a lot more like old times around here.  So now we can do all those things we like to do in our free time,  like listen to records, play videogames (see Abby above), and school each other at chess (Alayna got a new chess set from Papa and Nana for her birthday this year - which she loves.)

- Brian