She tends to put her best face forward but sometimes she is a slacker and just doesn’t care.

Daughter Kim and Caleb are on their (belated) honeymoon. They have sent us over 500 pictures so far. Here is one of the better ones:

As usual Kim is wearing a smile that would make my face hurt, although Xenia claims Kim has my smile.

James and I just finished the last episode of season one of Andromeda. They really know how to do a cliff hanger. The odds are several trillion Magog (really nasty types that think humans are only good for their carcasses to lay eggs in) to “no one left conscious” except one who appears to have switched sides.

James and I are liking it–especially Tyr. Tyr reminds us a lot of Jayne in Firefly only much smarter. But that means he is smart enough to have some tact if it’s needed. Jayne is much more entertaining but as a crew-mate I’d choose Tyr.

Barb and I are going to be visiting Columbia Falls Montana next month. If you are in the area and would like to meet for lunch or go on a hike in Glacer National Park send me an email and we’ll see if our schedules match.

She’s almost 19 years old now so we figured it was time she could have a real bed rather than that broken down, hand-me-down crib she has been sleeping for the last 18+ years. The older kids got a bed as soon the next kid came along and needed the crib. Xenia is the youngest and we kept telling her that “Just like with James and Kim, when the next kid comes along you can have a real bed.”  She finally figured out there wasn’t going to be another kid and she demanded we replace the crib. We knew she would figure it out eventually, but we were hoping she would get job or something first so she could pay for it. No such luck.

A co-worker of Barb’s gave her a queen-size bed frame a week or so ago and we “just” had to find a box spring and mattress for it. Barb had to work this weekend so Xenia and I went shopping for several hours on Saturday. Those things are really expensive! We saw one set that was $1500. The very cheapest was $400. Xenia tested them all and her happiness at the prospect of getting a “real bed” was clearly visible:

We selected one of Xenia’s favorites that was on the low end of the price range and scheduled delivery for today. They said “1:00 o’clock”. At 1:03 Xenia called me to tell me they weren’t there yet. I tried to keep her calm until they showed up but after 16 minutes (and 27 seconds) I gave up and told her to wait until 1:30 and then, if she wanted, to call them and ask.

The mattress finally did arrive, Xenia put on the new sheets and comforter, took pictures, posted in her Live Journal about it, then promptly went to sleep on it–in the middle of the afternoon. She was still asleep when Barb came home from work.

P.S. I was just messing with you during the first paragraph.

I asked Barb to sit on my lap while I watched the video about Beth’s 12 egg omelette (via Ry). When it was over Barb asked, “What’s CaTTy about?” I had no idea so we watched it. Barb laughed so hard I thought she was going to tip over our chair. When it was over she said, “Send that to Xenia.” Xenia has two cats.

Yup. It is pretty good.

Video: CaTTy

Ry turned in his notice today.

I received a call on my way to work this morning. It was Ry’s new employer doing a reference check. By the time I checked with Ry about 15:00 he had received and accepted their offer.

Ry works just around the corner and down the hall from me. In two weeks he will be working in downtown Seattle instead of Redmond.

Heavy sigh.

Xenia just posted this wonderful video of Kim’s wedding.

These posts and pictures have been up for a while but I didn’t link to them at the time they were posted because I knew there were more coming:

• Pre-wedding Preparations
• The Wedding

When Kim was in the Kindergarten we were living in Sandpoint, Idaho. She would take her backpack with ladybug marking on it to school to carry her books and stuff. There was this older boy, a Fourth grader, that made fun of her about the ladybug backpack. The next year we moved to Moscow and Kim didn’t have to deal with him anymore.

Kim graduated from Moscow High School and a year or so later moved to Coeur d’Alene Idaho. Shortly after arriving she was introduced to Caleb by a friend of hers. They talked and talked and discovered they both went to grade school at the same time in Sandpoint. They figured out that it was Caleb who teased Kim about her ladybug backpack. Kim and Caleb were married on Saturday.

For one of our wedding presents we gave them a set of a ladybug suitcase, a ladybug backpack, and a small ladybug backpack. Before the boat upon which the wedding ceremony took place left the dock a ladybug landed near one of the bouquets. I got a picture of it before it flew away:

I’ll be posting some more pictures from the wedding soon. Watch for more ladybug pictures.

Xenia has her own collection of pictures from the vacation and family reunion last week. She has a little different viewpoint than I did. Plus, she has better pictures.

There’s nothing but red-necked, knuckle-dragging, Neanderthals living in Idaho. Those cretins marry their cousins, they let kids play with guns, the women are ugly, and they even play with explosives. People from places like California, Florida, and Chicago who visit should just spend their tourist dollars quickly and go home before they get shot or something. I just got back from vacation and have the photographic evidence:

Phones like this are still in active use (my parents ring is three shorts). I had to explain to the tourists how to use this one at the Powell Ranger Station.

The plants are damaged. It’s probably from all the gunfire and exposives nearby.

Children with assault weapons!

More guns and kids!

Me, the Cease Fear Instructor–Gays and Queers take note.

I think this is supposed to be the state flower or something.

Just over the border into Montanna near Lolo Hot Springs

Caleb on the rocks above Lolo Hot Springs.

Caleb and Kim above Lolo Hot Springs.

Daughter Kimberly Joe at Johnsons Bar on the Selway river. This is what you get when cousins (Barb and I) have kids.

Johnsons Bar on the Selway River. White water is dangerous you know.

Caleb and Kim. Can you tell they are going to be married soon?

Nancy says the scar on her nose doesn’t show nearly as much as it used to. She probably got it while in a fight with her sister Barbara over who was going to marry their cousin Joe.

Tourists from Chicago and Florida spending money.

The guide took their money and led them off into the woods. I haven’t seen or heard from the tourists since.

Another example of when cousins have kids. Daughter Xenia whose expression says, “Don’t bug me when I’m taking pictures.”