2013 Project 365 - Day 238

RT @388fw: @MakeAWish kids become #F16 fighter pilots for the day @TeamHill_UT http://t.co/TxgHewVh
11:42 PM May 25th via TweetDeck
-----------------------------------------------------------
@DMC_Ryan Is there a pool where I can bet on what your next project will be?
11:09 PM May 25th via TweetDeck
-----------------------------------------------------------

Emma's "Hermione" costume: literaly completed overnight by Hannah (with help from Heather.) http://t.co/7IilFcQw
12:26 PM May 25th via TweetDeck
-----------------------------------------------------------
Disney's Theatrical Production "Newsies" goes from a brief 3 week run to Eight Tony® nominations. http://t.co/06HmZjBN
11:46 AM May 25th via bitly
-----------------------------------------------------------
Any of my Hoosier brethren and sisters getting geared up for the 500?
10:44 AM May 25th via TweetDeck
-----------------------------------------------------------
Such a jam packed weekend! Memorial Day, Air Show, Indy 500, Charlotte Showdown, and I'm getting out of town. Shame somethings gotta give.
10:43 AM May 25th via TweetDeck
-----------------------------------------------------------
It's clear a travel holiday is approaching. Gas jumped 9¢/gal at every pump in my town within a few days. >:-(
12:37 AM May 25th via TweetDeck

JeepCruzer

Full Throttle Powersports Yamaha-Kawasaki on #Yelp: Full Throttle in Centerville gets low marks for giving my wife t... http://t.co/da3CGmWP
3:42 PM September 29th via Yelp
-----------------------------------------------------------
That said, I also believe in modern chivalry and respect for women.
10:53 AM September 29th via TweetDeck
-----------------------------------------------------------
My Wife is brilliant & deserves respect. My daughter deserves the chance to grow without prejudice. I don't tolerate sexist attitudes.
10:51 AM September 29th via TweetDeck
-----------------------------------------------------------
Full Throttle in Centerville gets low marks for giving my wife the "stupid dame" routine when I sent her in with my scooter.
10:47 AM September 29th via TweetDeck
-----------------------------------------------------------
@JessicaRedfield There are actually 2 In-N-Out's in Vegas. Better try 'em both! ;-)
9:06 AM September 29th via TweetDeck
-----------------------------------------------------------
RT @MartyTheElder: Wow! Bobby Kotick was good in Moneyball.
6:31 AM September 29th via TweetDeck

Great picture of Hannah checking out the BBQ competition at Gallivan Center. http://t.co/xkrTM8F

2010-11-02_09-01-01_654.jpg

I had a great Jack O'lantern this year. Hannah carved it just as I had
pictured it. I told her I wanted it to look like the pumpkin on the Splat
The Cat book. Look how great it turned out!

Mothers Day

Mothers Day was a bit unusual for us. Mom had a wild hair and decided to try something new last week when @dimplsandcurls (otherwise known as my wife) hid her first geocache and did an outstanding job of it too. With what seemed like a fraction of the effort it takes me, Hannah had picked a spot void of caches, created a container, outfited the cache with prizes and was ready to go. She even logged a variety of waypoints with which to average out the coordinates. A short time later she had submitted and had her cache listing approved. The FTF (First To Find) was logged before Mother's Day was out.

I'm not sure it's fair for Dad to have as much fun as mom on Mother's Day, but these things happen when you go geocaching. Perhaps you'd care to visit Hannah's very own "Carrington Cache." Clink on the link to go to the cache listing. If you're already a geocacher, you'll be all ready to go. If you're not a geocacher, isn't time to start? Now really?

91 Hours of Loneliness

I feel kinda lonely right now. I thought I must be crazy or perhaps indulging in too many re-runs of Steel Magnolias, but when I crunched the numbers, I realized I only see my wife for about 18% of the week. Maybe I wasn't crazy after all? You see, my wife and I start the doldrums of our week again tonight. We work opposing schedules (I work at night and she works in the day.) From now till Saturday afternoon I'll only see her by chance. After about four hours that afternoon, i'll go to back to work for the Saturday night shift and see my family again Sunday morning. After Hannah finishes work Monday (Sunday and Monday are my days off, Saturday and Sunday hers) we again have a few hours before turning in and getting ready for the next day and the rest of the week apart.

I should say now that I'm not writing this for sympathy. Our family is secure, stable and mostly happy. I just found a remarkable statistic that perhaps justifies a little loneliness, perhaps even a little selfishness with my time and it always helps me to see the field when I write, talk and get my thoughts out of my head.

As I see it, most humans take roughly 112 waking hours in a week. I spend roughly 21 [hours] with my wife, more or less depending on how her illness is treating her. A single bread winner family with a 9 - 5 job spends closer to 72 daylight hours with their spouse or roughly 64% of the week - or at least the potential to.

You see, even though the numbers make feel less guilty about a feeling of loneliness, they still don't earn me any sympathy. I'm lucky to sacrifice almost no time with my daughter, that goes for my wife as well. I know some families struggle to find time with their children while trying to support their family. Others struggle to find work at all. I guess i'm just hoping you too will have one of those "whoa" moments and realize what value your family time has and cherish it for as long as you have it because something tells me that even if I had all the time in the world with my wonderful wife and beautiful daughter - it still wouldn't feel like enough.

I'm A Sucker

Hannah donated her services to helping her sister's cat deliver a litter of kittens on memorial day. We were, in return, offered first pick of the litter. How do you turn down fluffy fuzz balls? Now we have a new cat at the house a tabby named TigerLilly, or Lilly for short. Athough I'm not a big fan of little claws and lots of meeowing, It make me happy to see my girls so thrilled to have a new friend around the house.

Mad Libs Mothers Day

You Don't See That Everyday

While driving Hannah home from work we happened upon some slow traffic and became frustrated that the rush hour had started so soon. It didn't take long to discover that the rush hour was not the concern at all. A collision that appeared to involve five vehicles was strewn about I-15 (NB, about 500 N, SLC) this car was wost off, and Hannah gabbed a photo for me. It was a bit of a shock to see the woman in the convertible, still conscious, with apparent injuries to her head and either injured enough to remain in place or unable to extricate herself from the car. A shiver went down my spine as we passed. Drive safe out there!

Maybe Next Year

Aren't spring break trips supposed to be made to sunny and warm destinations? I think the folks in Jackson Hole missed that memo because my impromptu spring break getaway to Teton County, WY was like taking a trip back to December.

The great thing about Jackson is that anytime of the year it's a beautiful place to visit. The hotel hot tub may not have been quite the same as a warm beach, but you can't stare at the majestic mountains whilst you warm your chilled body.

I don't enjoy shopping. Particularly, I've never understood shopping as a vacation actvity. Imagine my amazement when I entered the town of Jackson to find it was filled with "70% off" sales and I caught myself shopping around the town square.

Yes it was bitter cold, but lot's of fun to have an excuse to fly with mom to Jackson.

Pink - its my new obsession

How cool is that?  Hannah's gone all web2.0 on me and started a blog - a blog that compliments me no less.  I've been preaching "blog" for a number of years now so I'm always excited when someone sees the light and converts.  I'm even more exctied when Hannah finds blogging as a new way to break out and stay in touch.  We're pretty lucky in our family to have so many members who stay in touch on the interwebs.  I've gotta say I'm a little proud to have our little niche of the blogosphere well represented - and proud of Hannah for the great job she did on a new blog. 

http://dimplescurlsandagigglygirl.blogspot.com/

My Amazing Wife

Behold Halloween 2008, courtesy of Hannah. Yes our costumes are all creations of Hannah (with the exception of Hannah's costume, created by her sister, mostly.) Hannah started this labor of love over the summer. You may know that she has struggled to overcome Epstein Barr (a viral illness similar to chronic fatigue syndrome) which has demanded near bed rest status from our mom and wife. Hannah had big plans for her favorite holiday and considering her condition, she started early and spent what few spare hours she had working out these mini masterpieces.

Emma could not have been more happy as the Purple Princess and dad felt quite special being the recipient of so many compliments. Our costumes were pretty impressive, but I don't think anyone fully grasped what a triumph this Trick-or-Treat was for our little family. Any home made costume is special, however I think these will always hold a special place in the annals of Halloweens past.

Another Three Cache Weekend

A weekend Geocaching expedition brings my total finds to 191 and more deeply engrains the joys of Geocaching for Emma who now asks to go Geocaching hourly. Mom came with us on this trip over trappers loop which turned out to be a fritful drive. Caches are relatively undisturbed along the route and the containers are particularly creative. I especially liked "loop d'loop" by UtahJean which took is a bit off the path and yielded some outstanding views.