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Raising a family and building websites in small town America
Recent Posts Tagged With 'family'
2009: This Year Was Not Boring
I've started the year-end review of records and see that there's a reason why I haven't kept up with some projects and pastimes: and feel frazzled. Here's a brief recap.Head-On Crash and Sprained Bodies In January, my wife and #3 daughter were in a h...
Christmas Day, 2009
Merry Christmas!There's more to this day than snow, mistletoe, and "Jingle Bell Rock" More in: "Christmas? Yeah, it's a Pretty Big Deal" A Catholic Citizen in America (December 24, 2009) There's quite a bit of snow, though. And more coming down.We've...
Still in Mourning?
The holiday season has never been a particularly good for me. Don't get me wrong: I enjoy the holidays: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's. But, as my wife said once, I get a bit crazy around this season. And, this is the season when I...
Rain, Coffee, Family and Scrabble
I'm caught up, in another blog (Apathetic Lemming of the North), from that trip to Chicago - about a month after our return. The skies wouldn't fall if I didn't keep up that 'three posts a day' quota I set for that blog: but it doesn't hurt to mainta...
Son-in-Law\'s Birthday
Another day of "October's bright blue weather" - in November - and I stayed in all day. On the up side, I got the day's tasks done - with time left over to enjoy #2 daughter and my new son-in-law. And their dog, Sprocket: a somewhat over-bred and qui...
Day After Halloween
It's a beautiful Sunday afternoon. I'm in the north room, enjoying sunshine and blue sky, and getting a little organizing done. As soon as I wrap up this post, I'll be joining the rest of the family, in the living room. On the way, I'll give Giol, #1...
Being Home is Good
I'm back. I buried the other half of my father and mother Friday, in the Hulse cemetery near Pecatonica, Illinois. And, had a brief but good get-together with family. Saturday and Sunday, various portions of the family saw Chicago's Adler Planetarium...
Monday Hit With Unusual Severity This Week
I'm wrapping up the day - and may leave a task or two undone, in the interests of getting a reasonable night's sleep. I was up ridiculously late last night, again, but got that Knights of Columbus council bulletin to the printer's this morning. They ...
11:17 - the Phone Rings
Right around 11:17 this evening, #2 daughter and her husband called me and sang "happy birthday" to me. Awww! That was about as good a day-brightener as a man could ask for.Thanks, you all.From smalltowndad.blogspot.com...
Giol, #1 Daughter\'s Rabbit; and "Just Your Average Small Town America Household"
Just your average middle-class small town American household: nothing out of the ordinary about us.Giol, #1 daughter's rabbit, under the back stoop: his new favorite place outside.Giol has this "cute" thing down cold.As #1 daughter observed: from thi...
Soo Bahk Do, My Daughter\'s Rabbit, and Funeral Arrangements
We went to Mass this morning, I grilled burgers for lunch - not incinerating them for the second time this weekend - and I enjoyed the company of #1 daughter and her rabbit Giol while grilling. The rain held off until after I was inside, for which I'...
Requiescat In Pace, Bernard Ives Gill
One of my kinsmen wrote a sort of obituary notice for my father. Here's a revised version:Bernard Ives Gill 16 May 1921 - 25 September 2009.Bernard Ives Gill died peacefully in his sleep at about 1:40 Friday morning.He was born at the family farm on ...
Upcoming Funeral, Grilling Burgers, and a Really Long Nap
We've set the date of my father's funeral: next Tuesday, the 29th. My wife has been doing the bulk of scheduling, but I've pitched in by fielding a phone call or two.My father's death still doesn't, sometimes, seem real. On the other hand, those flas...
My Father\'s Death, Funeral Arrangements, the Furnace and a Headlight
We're making arrangements for my father's funeral - he died at about 1:40 this morning. I've signed documents authorizing his cremation, read the will, and talked with my children and wife about this transition. I've also noticed that the family van'...
Noted: The Death of My Father
My father died at about 1:40 this morning. Peacefully, I'm told. He's a good man: and a very hard act to follow. Next step for me is to see that family at this end is alerted.From smalltowndad.blogspot.com...
Soo Bahk Do, Another Day With My Family: And My Father\'s Dying
Another day's just about over. My wife, #3 daughter, and son went to Soo Bahk Do class this evening and returned in good spirits. On a less chipper note, we learned this morning that my father is unresponsive: he doesn't respond to touch, and appears...
Monday: Back Home and Glad of It
My wife, all four kids, and my new son-in-law, went up to the Red River Valley of the North on Friday to visit my father. It had to be short, since he has the dickens of a time getting oxygen in - but 'a good time was had by all.' Well, pretty much a...
About Eight Hours After the Wedding
#2 daughter is now married. The wedding itself was about as hitch-free as such things ever are. #2 daughter looked beautiful; everybody walked to where they were supposed to; the flower girl and ring bearer only needed a little coaching; I didn't tri...
Just Over an Hour Before the Wedding
In one hour and ten minutes it'll be 2:00 in the afternoon: time for #2 daughter's wedding ceremony to start. Right now, I'm staying close to the keyboard - partly to get this written, partly to stay out of the way. #2 daughter's flitting to and fro,...
Wedding Rehearsal Went Well
The wedding rehearsal taught me that I'll have to switch my cane from one hand to the other at one point - and was a learning experience for everyone, I think. Also, a good idea. The dinner afterward, at the Palmer House, was a nice way to top off th...
Wedding's Tommorow
#2 daughter's wedding is tomorrow. I met her parents this afternoon, came in to change into a clean shirt, and am now off to a rehearsal of some sort. Flurried? Yes, a bit.From smalltowndad.blogspot.com...
Monday: Wedding on Saturday, But No Worries
Well, at least it isn't next month yet. I see the last time I wrote anything here was three weeks ago. My wife and #2 daughter came back about a half-hour ago, after getting groceries and running errands. A few minutes ago my wife noted that she'd th...
Sunday: Another Week in Fast-Forward
As if with a whizzing sound, another week went by. Wedding preparations are keeping my wife and #2 daughter busy: I've been staying out of the way, for the most part. I've been on my usual routine of researching and writing, and #1 daughter has been ...
Tuesday: #2 Daughter and Son-in-Law-to-be and Hummingbirds
Yesterday evening my wife called a family meeting, and outlined what she wants us to do for the rest of this month, through #2 daughter's wedding in early September. She went into some detail, including two task lists: one for the morning, another wh...
Sunday: Father's Day 2009
It's around mid-afternoon as I write this. It's been overcast and raining most of the day. We need the rain, and it wasn't heavy enough to keep me from grilling: so that's okay. I went to church yesterday afternoon with #1 daughter, but I'm getting a...
Monday: Finally, the Sky's Clearing, and So is My Chest
A sort-of-a-cold that's been bothering me for a while seems to be clearing up. I think there's a good chance I'll be able to get to Soo Bahk Do this Thursday. #2 daughter and my son set off for the Red River Valley of the North after supper. The most...
Sunday: It's Been a Slow, Hectic, Day
First, more about Friday. I knew I'd left something out. My son found the CD that came with the webcam I'd been using. He was quite pleased with doing so: it was in a container, behind a CD rack, at my desk. I'm a little embarrassed - but glad that h...
Thursday: A Rabbit's Play Date, Two Sheep and Two Dogs, a Doctor's Appointment, and Clear Sky
It's been a pretty good day. Beautiful weather: almost entirely clear blue sky.Jake, my brother-in-law's bloodhoundOne of my brothers-in-law came by this morning with two sheep and a bloodhound. He and my son-in-law to be, and Sprocket, will be spend...
Wednesday: Elementary School Graduation
#1 daughter made another sale today, and is spending the bulk of the evening in St. Cloud, dropping of forms and getting dinner as the company's guest - along with other sales people. I gather that Cutco puts quite a lot of emphasis on keeping their ...
Hummingbird Feeder, Unexpected Service Call, and Transitions
Yesterday's big evening drove it out of my mind, but I also cleaned and re-filled the hummingbird feeder yesterday. I bend the hook that attaches it to the shepherds-crook-shaped holder outside, so I only spilled a drop or so while putting it back ou...
