Checking In

A catch-all, catch-up post

There are 1,126 posts filed in Checking In (this is page 21 of 113).

Distracted driving

I had a scary moment this morning as I waited in my car at Hallie’s bus stop. I had just leaned over to the passenger window to hand Hallie her lunch box when I happened to look up in the rear-view mirror. A tricked-out grey Honda Civic was barrelling down on me, its driver jerking his car back into the lane mere feet from smashing into me.

What if my car hadn’t been between him and the three kids waiting at the bus stop, one of which was mine? What if he had smashed into me and sent me barrelling into the kids? What happens when I’m not there to witness or protect against these terrifying incidents?

We’re a family not accustomed to riding the bus, being within walking distance of Hallie’s last school (and Travis’s current one). Taking the bus avoids the long wait in the school’s carpool line, true, and perhaps I’m being a helicopter parent. Still, this morning’s near-disaster makes me wonder if putting a safe, steel box around my child during her school commute isn’t the way to go.

On a similar note, Kelly and the kids witnessed a scary car wreck on Sunday. They were in our old Windsor Forest neighborhood, taking a look at our old home, when a drunk driver came roaring around the corner, smashing into a car at the curb and bouncing off of it to smash into another neighbor’s car. He never hit the brakes and his bare wheel rim gouged a ten-foot hole in the pavement.

It was 10 AM and the guy could barely stand up.

Maybe as a society we need to better stress the responsibility that comes from being behind the wheel.

First day back to school

It was the first day back to school for both kids. Hallie began middle school at Ligon and Travis entered fourth grade at Conn. Both kids were beaming this afternoon, very much where they need to be.

I feel like it’s going to be a great year for both of them!

Egypt aflame

The Egyptian military had cracked down hard on peaceful protesters supporting ousted President Morsi. Hundreds have been killed.

It will be hard convincing Islamists that the legitimate way to power is through the ballot box.

Creative outlets

"The Highlanders" in a May 2012 performance.

“The Highlanders” in a May 2012 performance.


Since we got back from visiting Kelly’s family in Wisconsin over the Fourth of July holiday, I’ve been feeling the need to be more creative. Part of our time there was spent by me sitting around and playing guitar with Kelly’s uncle. I only knew a handful of chords (and songs) so we didn’t play many songs. The few songs we did play was enough for me to reignite my interest in guitar.

This summer we’ve been doing more with music as a family, too. Both kids’ recitals this year had a portion where the families of the students could perform a piece. Our family performed Ashokin Farewell as “The Highlanders.” Every Sunday evening we would practice the song together, me on guitar, Kelly on flute, Hallie on violin, and Travis on piano. I came to crave this hour each week set aside to play music.
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Hot then stormy weekend

It was a swelteringly hot weekend that ended with nightly storms but we managed to have some fun, anyway.

I spent Saturday morning installing a trailer hitch on the minivan. While it could conceivably tow our boat, I got it to hold a hitch-mount bike rack. Installing it meant a few hours contorted under the rear of the van on the hard garage floor while wearing thick work coveralls. Early on in the work, it rained about 20 minutes. When the sun returned, it returned with a vengeance. Soon it was 85 degrees F with 85% humidity. Meanwhile, I was hand-tightening each stubborn bolt into rusted bolt-holes of the van’s frame. The good news is that by lunchtime it was ready for the new rack, which I love.
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Jupiter, the furry killer

Cute, but a killer!

Cute, but a killer!


So the porch cat we adopted, Jupiter, has a little problem … he’s a killer. An accomplished hunter, indeed. He lived by these skills for the three years before we began caring for him and he’s kept those skills sharp ever since. He’s as sweet as he can be to all of us but behind that fuzzy face is an expert hunter. We’ve found all manner of mice, moles, birds, squirrels, rabbits, and lizards who have met their master at the deadly claws of Jupiter. Our yard becomes littered with a dead body of some variety about once every three weeks, it seems.

Last night I was preparing to view the International Space Station, gathering my camera when I heard an eerie wail coming from the front yard. I knew it was a battle of some sort so I leapt up and raced out the door.
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Unexpected sun

On my way out the door this morning I walked into our garage and was instantly startled. It was light in there! There’s normally light coming through the windows but this morning there was a bona fide sunbeam!

The front of our home faces almost due north. It turns out this is the time of year when the rising sun actually shines on the the front of our home. I hope to leave a little time tomorrow morning for snapping a few pictures during the rare moments the front of our home is illuminated in sunlight.

Action-packed Memorial Day weekend

Saturday afternoon I went for a 21 mile bike ride on the Neuse River Greenway. Afterward the family and I went to a friend’s pool party.

Sunday the family joined me on another bike ride, this one about 12 miles, lingering in Horseshoe Farm Park. We hoped my brother’s family would meet us there but they ran out of time to join us. We had fun on our own, though.

Three separate groups of people stopped me to ask about the greenways. Something about me must have identified me as the expert! I enjoy helping folks out and am now considering joining the city’s greenway volunteer program.

Today (Memorial Day) we didn’t have solid plans. I went to the dedication of Marshall Park along the House Creek Greenway and was impressed at the ceremony (military honors and all). Afterward, I rejoined the family and hoped we could get out for another bike ride. The kids weren’t interested, however, and so we went about our own projects. Kelly and Hallie picked up vegetable plants at the farmers market and we all planted them. I also sprayed Round Up on the weeds in the garden and then mowed the yard. It all looks very good now.

My day begins at 5:20 tomorrow morning, so we’ll see what kind of week it is. At least it will be a short one!

Walled gardens winning?

I took the time today to install the Tiny Tiny RSS newsreader, a replacement for the doomed Google Reader. Switching back to my own newsreader allowed me to immediately see how many feeds that I once followed have since vanished. It seems many blogs have dropped off the Internet entirely, and many of these only very recently.

Like the word “croatoan” carved in the tree that became the last word of the Lost Colony, some of these blogs left us with a “last post” entry but no real clue where they went. Is blogging dying? Are the walled gardens winning?

I have to admit myself to not posting as often as I once did. Yes, I use Facebook but only post updates there every few days. The job I took in February has sucked up much of what was once free time. And frankly, I’m saddened to see how our state legislature is now hell-bent on destroying this state. There’s not much inspiration there.

I still have a few more observations in me, though, and will post them when they’re ready (or even when they’re not ready – that’s never stopped me before!).

Concussion

Feeling like the Bad Parent. Son Travis said he hit his head while playing after school but I failed to take it seriously. It took Kelly arriving home to get him whisked to the ER, where he was diagnosed as having a concussion. As many concussions I’ve had in my life, I should’ve known better.

They’re on their way home now where he’ll simply need some rest to return back to normal.